The Strongest Trio
by the bird of the chapel
Summary: So...what if Yugi, Judai, and Yusei are invited to Hogwarts? Time-traveling, dimension-hopping, ancient-magical-thingy, Voldemort, Umbridge-hating, and school, what else? Card games? ...THEY DON'T EXIST!
1. The Haunted Graveyard

**The Strongest Trio  
><strong>**by val'tanelle**

**Summary:** So...what if Yugi, Judai, and Yusei are invited to Hogwarts? Time-traveling, dimension-hopping, ancient-magical-thingy, Voldemort, Umbridge-hating, and school, what else? Card games? ...THEY DON'T EXIST!

**Author's Notes:** Big fan of Yu-Gi-Oh. Watched half of GX. Never bothered with 5D. Expect the usual crossover cliché but I think despite generic premise, it's in the storytelling that makes it extraordinary :D

**About This Fanfic:** This is similar to Evil In The Wrong Hands. Don't beg for updates; this was only posted as a way to see...well, your reaction. Does it work out? Is it good? Properly written? And did I hit some ooc marks? I do plan to work on this in the future (in fact, chapter 2 is already available in my pc) but not right now. This is, basically, a draft.

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><p>The Strongest Trio<br>I: The Haunted Graveyard

"So you know, people been saying there's some ghosts in the graveyard...Hey, what's the whole point of this?"

"Judai, for the fourth time, I'm trying to explain Synchro Summoning. And people usually assume there are ghosts in graveyards, considering that's where dead people rest."

"C'mon, I thought you were the smart one. There's a _ghost_ right within this room. Oh spirit, ghosts, don't be so picky, Yubel-"

"So anyway, you were having trouble with...?"

"Everything! What the heck is up with this chart thingy you drew?"

"It's _supposed_ to help you understand the theory—"

"I told you man, let's just play. I'll get a hang—"

"But that would be unfair! How do you expect me to give it my all when my opponent is an apparent disadvantage by his lack of information?"

"Hope you're not saying I'm dumb."

"No! Why would you even think that?"

"Well since you insulted me, how about making it up with a duel, huh?"

"You're not fooling anyone with that."

"Did you just insult me _again_? I'm so hurt Yusei. I think I'm wounded for life."

"Thanks Judai, but maybe you'd be a bit more convincing if you weren't laughing."

One big sigh went unnoticed as the two bickered like barking dogs. Yugi Motou leafed through the stacks of paper in which Yusei had fervently worked on overnight; it detailed changes and updates on Duel Monsters from his time. It was interesting to read through them but Yugi himself was never good at studying. He had merely pretended to have understand all the complex scribbles and had Yusei explain in layman terms for Yugi to grasp the new ideas.

Judai was a bit different. If anything, he was the opposite of Yusei though they actually get along just fine. It's just that Yusei is best when he can grasp the theory behind the game while Judai play by instinct, which is honed by practical experience, not by analyzing.

Yusei had not really insisted his learning method onto Judai until it was the last resort. He was a man of honor and dignity, especially to his friends, and refused to do any blasphemous acts to betray such friendship. Not that they weren't like that too. Yusei, however, was just very...detailed in his ideals.

"_Geez, I can't even understand half the words Yusei writes,_" Yugi thought, grimacing at the huge wall of text.

There was a small ringing in his head, signaling the presence of Yugi's other self, Yami. "_I guess this is what it means to have a genius. I never imagined I'd live to see someone who rivals Kaiba's mind._"

"_Oh please,_" Yugi replied mentally, rolling his eyes. "_As if you're not one too._"

"_Not at all. I just happen to be very knowledgeable."_

"...been days already. How long would the money last?"

Yugi's attention was drawn to Yusei; the atmosphere had changed. The discussion appeared to have shifted away from the usual bickering. Judai was tapping his chin, looking at the table silently. Yusei's hands on the table were clasped together, his eyes distant.

"We'd have to put our faith on Dark Magician," Yugi said after a pregnant silence. "Since we can still connect to the Shadow Realm, then there should be a link back to our respective homes."

"We should have Yubel come along with him after all," Judai said.

"No, I think it's assuring that there's someone who could protect us," Yusei said, looking at both of them, letting a pause to sink in, "should things come to worsts."

The three of them fell silent again. The gloom was even more pronounced by the despondent house the trio were staying in. It appeared to be completely abandoned judging by the cobwebs and dusts collecting on each corner of the house; however, electricity and water still worked perfectly. It was a huge but empty house with only three occupants were inside, locked in by the fact they could not step possibly step outside where boundaries crossed were too risky.

Yugi, Judai, and Yusei were from another dimension after all. To make it worse, they belonged to different time periods too.

And what made them even in less cheerful spirit was the fact Duel Monsters, the game they all share a beloved connection with, did not exist.

"Hey Yusei," Judai said all of a sudden. "I've been thinking about it, but were you serious when you said you played card games on motorcycles?"

"_Yes,_ I am," Yusei said, sounding slightly annoyed. "Why would you think I was joking? What's so funny? Even you, Yugi?"

"Well, the way Judai just phrases it is funny," Yugi said bracingly, still chuckling. "I think it's pretty cool but I don't think I'd be able to focus at all."

"Man, I can't believe the King of Games is a wimp," Judai said, laughing. Yugi blushed red, stuttering angrily. "I'm just kidding!"

Yusei smiled benignly, mentally appreciating the slacker's ability to break the ice and create humor in their bad situation. Silently, he cursed himself for being useless; he was even the oldest (and of age) between the three of them, no less! They relied on Yugi to get out of this mess because of his mystical item, the Sennen Puzzle, while Judai kept their spirits up. Yusei, on the other hand, could not contribute to their cause. He hated not being able to do anything.

"I'm going to take a look around the house again," Yusei announced, standing up. He might be able to find something of use, maybe to sell just to earn some more money. They found some cash around the house when they arrived but the money wouldn't last forever. He had hope to find spare parts, which he should be able to put together no matter what age and time but he was out of luck there.

"Sure," Yugi said. He probably knew why Yusei felt like going through what they had gone through all day already.

"Well be careful," Judai said, watching Yusei walked away. "Don't go screaming like a girl when you see hairy spiders, all right?"

"Har-har," Yusei said.

When the door closed, Judai turned back to Yugi and slapped his deck on the table. "Good, I've got you cornered now. Let's duel!"

"If you'd asked me, I would have agreed, you know," Yugi said, bemused.

"Oh sorry. I mean the other you. Yami, was it?" When Judai said the name, he noticed Yugi's aura change completely. Yubel shifted uneasily, intently looking at the spirit that took over Yugi.

"That's right," Yami Yugi said. "If you wanted to duel me, you could have asked too. Yugi and I would be happy to."

"Yeah well, when Yusei's around, he kept on hogging you for himself. I didn't want to be rude," Judai said, grinning.

"Very well," the spirit said, amused.

"_Judai!_" Yubel's spirit admonished. "_I've told you not to duel him! He is dangerous!"_

"_Oh c'mon, you've been saying that for days,_" Judai said mentally, shuffling Yugi's deck. Their conversation was interrupted with mild surprise when Yami spoke.

"It's not my habit to use dark magic," Yami said, still expertly shuffling Judai's deck. "Rest assure, this is just an ordinary game."

Yubel frowned, but said nothing. Judai grinned. "It's still pretty wicked that you've got all this strange powers, you know. Who would have thought the legendary Yugi Motou had something supernatural up his sleeves?"

"You're not one to speak, Judai," Yami said, returning the boy's deck. The two of them drew six cards, looked through their hand, and back each other's eyes.

"Duel!"

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><p>The darkness tonight was the result of a cloudy sky, blocking both stars and moon to shed any natural light. They tried not to use any lights in the abandoned manor to not raise suspicions from the neighborhood. They used lamps to help them through the dark, which did not hide well up in this dark hill. In case a passerby of the village came, no doubt he would be able to see the small firefly light through the bombarded windows.<p>

Yusei had joined the others earlier for dinner, which was some leftover stew from this morning. No one had really complained, Judai adding that mediocre meals back in his academy made Yusei's stew a delicacy from a five-star restaurant. Yusei for one had grew up from poverty while Yugi, surprisingly with his kind of background as King of Games, said he came from a middle-class family. After eating, the discussion about the duels in Battle City (Yusei being very attentive since it was ancient news for him) carried over for an hour more before it was stopped when Judai had fallen asleep on the couch. Yugi had sought to sleep too while Yusei had said he wanted to take a walk for a while.

"I better come with you," Yugi said sleepily. "It's too dangerous, you know."

"It's going to be a short walk," Yusei assured. "I just need some fresh air."

Yugi was unconvinced, being concerned yet at the same time finding sleep irresistible every passing second. "Just don't do anything reckless. Wake us up if something happens."

"Yeah. I will, thanks."

Yusei walked down the hill, finding the pitch-black darkness rather unnerving. He went over to the spots of light from the village below than hanging around the darkness. As he had arrived, Yusei felt relaxed when voices of chatters spoke clearly through the air. Being in the mansion made Yusei feel that only the three duelists were the last men alive in the planet; hearing new though unfamiliar voices eased him up a bit.

But Yusei didn't linger around the empty streets of the village. He made a beeline toward the place where he, Yugi, and Judai appeared in this world. Back to the misty, desolate area where tombs were placed and stone slates erected: the graveyard.

The freezing temperature in the graveyard emphasized the bane of the living. Yusei was used to harsher conditions although having his arms wrapped in gloves helped. He studied the place, hoping it would give him new ideas how they came upon here. The lack of anything around though had been very much unhelpful.

For a couple of minutes, he walked in silence, his thoughts drifting back to his friends back home until his ears sharply caught noises not too far away. Laughing.

In a wild moment, Yusei thought the graveyard was indeed haunted as Judai had said. Of course, he banished the thought instantly and stealthily went toward the source of the noise, thinking that there were probably grave robbers or punks messing around.

But it wasn't just a bunch of teenagers around and they didn't look like mere grave robbers either. Fully grown men were in complete black garbs, circled around a tombstone, making a very good impression of ghouls. Amidst the laughing Yusei heard, a blood-chilling, hissing voice made the duelist frozen on his spot. Then there was the cry of pain of a boy that alerted Yusei he had just came up with more trouble he could handle. Yusei knelt behind a headstone, blood pounding in his head.

"I WON'T!" he heard the fierce scream of the boy.

"You won't?" the snake-like voice said; his quiet voice spoke volumes over the fragile silence. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die...perhaps another little dose of pain?"

Yusei gritted his teeth, his fists curled into fists. He was going to kill him, the boy named Harry! There was a shatter of stone and the cold voice continued.

"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry." The ghouls laughed once more. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean you would prefer to finish it now, Harry?" Yusei's heart beat violently; he was sure his ribcage would explode. Yet he kept his mind clear...waiting, thinking, considering...he was going to kill him- "Come out, Harry...come out and play, then...it will be quick...it might even be painless...I wouldn't know...I have never died..."

What happened next was a complete blur, but Yusei kept a tight grip to his vigilant sense. He jumped out of behind the headstone, threw himself against one of the ghouls, breaking into their circle. Taking advantage of their stunned states, Yusei propelled one to the others with a powerful kick. The man at the center – bald and pale, with skin leathery like a snake's – whirled around with a raised arm. Yusei had swiftly ducked and hid behind a ghoul's back but nothing came to Yusei's way at that split second. There was a shout instead.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Motion from the ghouls suddenly ceased and even Yusei was distracted upon the touch of golden light flaring from a thread connecting the boy and the other man. He saw that they held something onto their hands – ruler-size sticks – where the thread of light stuck out. Their hands shook, their feet slowly gaining inches from the ground. The laughing had turned to panic shouts; ghouls ran about to where the two had been lifted and descended, leaving Yusei free to his escape or -

Yusei's jaw dropped. Arcs of crisscrossing lines bloomed from the thread of light like a fountain. Both their grips on the vibrating sticks were weakening and Yusei had a strong feeling that should the boy lose his grip on his, the line would break and the light would vanish. They disappeared from his sight as the lines formed a webbed area of dome, blocking trespassers away.

"Do nothing!" he heard the snake voice's muffled shrieked. "Do nothing unless I command you!"

Yusei sped past the ghouls, knocking them aside into the circle once more. He only heard their shouts becoming muffled as he managed to get through the line when others could not.

"Don't let go!" Yusei shouted, stretching his hand toward the boy. He clasped both his hands to the boy's shaking hands, feeling the surging power that he was trying to control.

The boy's emerald eyes widened. "Who—"

Yusei didn't know which had caused the immediate, shocked silence: him or the song. He saw at the corner of his eyes the familiar red glow on his arm, its color flowing through his arm; Yusei could not hide his shock. It was his Mark – at least where his Mark used to be but it had been taken from all the Signers. It filled him with strength nonetheless, but there was another source; gentle whisper rang in his ears – no, it was more than that – in his heart, reaching deep into his soul where the magnificent dragon roared.

From the tip of the boy's stick, silvery dusts escaped. A solid crystal - first with the head with long, spiked, slithering neck, followed by a winged, scaly crystal body with beastly clawed ends – came out, which Yusei recognized as his Stardust Dragon. On the other end of the thread that held the two sticks bound, had ghostly yet solid images of humans coming out one by one, each of them whispering words Yusei could not hear; only the gentle song and the dragon's roar soothed him.

Yusei didn't know how longed he had kept his grip on the boy's hands. They held on it together like they were clinging for their lives.

"I'm breaking it! Get ready to run!" the boy shouted. "Ready – NOW!"

The moment Yusei had let go, the song and the roar vanished just as the light disappeared. The figures of the ghouls returned, but the images of the people that came out of the wand stayed, blocking the man like iron walls.

"LET'S GO!" the boy shouted, tugging his jacket. Yusei obeyed without saying anything, turning his head when the snake man shouted, colorful jets of light chasing them. But the Stardust Dragon had remained as well, taking in all the light like a protective shield barrier with its grand figure dominating the space.

"The boy is mine! Kill the other one, kill him!"

Yusei quickly said, "I know where to hide-"

"No," the boy said. "Get Cedric, his body – that – the dead – get it, just-"

"Got it," Yusei said, his eyes unable to hide the shock of the corpse he saw. He was much faster than the boy and took the corpse with the utmost gentleness he could. The Stardust Dragon roared faintly as its crystal body slowly vanished.

"The cup – we have to-"

Yusei saw the golden cup on the ground, but it was too far for him to pick up. He could try and get it but the body would slow him down. The face of the vile snake man's appeared, flashing red eyes and a dangerous, triumphant smile. The bespectacled boy grabbed his arm, shouted at the top of his lungs just as the snake raised the stick.

"Accio!" the boy shouted, jabbing his stick at the distant cup. The cup flew into his hands and suddenly, Yusei's surrounding disappeared in a colorful blur, his stomach feeling sick like he had just developed a motion sickness.


	2. The Professor's Drink and Deceit

**Author's Notes:** I changed my mind xD I'm having fun writing this fanfic. I don't worry about my grammar, my vocab (although I noticed I've been using the same words/description lol), my style, the plot - reviews! So I'm writing this! It's my stress reliever. Definitely not the best in terms of writing, but still a fanfic. I'm always one chapter ahead when I update. I was pretty satisfied with this chapter but I just finished the third one and am even more pleased xD. A lot of the dialogs are from the book but I made sure it's not boring/waste of space. I re-imagined it in Yusei's perspective and it eventually changed.

Sorry if the errors are bugging you haha. This had not gone through Microsoft Office grammar check XD if it annoys you that much, tell me you want to betaread it lol. Just to clean it off...yeah, so I'm looking for a betareader to correct basic errors xD It doesn't have to be perfect. Just need someone to edit.

This one's prolly twice as long as chapter 1. I wanted to cram in the book events in one chapter that have them drag on.

EDIT: Woah I just learned I tend to mix up "at" and "to" lol. I hope I didn't miss anymore mistakes about that.

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><p>II: The Professor's Drink and Deceit<p>

Yusei felt a horrible sting on the end his tongue when he accidentally bit it. He fell on the ground, hearing loud voices and a mass of shadows crowding around them. He had been screaming but it was nothing like seeing a big hairy spider. It was more like getting thrown into an abyss that he thought was endless, pulled on his navel like a fish hooked from water, almost like the time he was thrown through dimension and time and fell into this world.

He felt eyes on him, words wondering who he was. But there was a scream at the dead body he had still been holding.

"My God – Diggory! Dumbledore, he's dead!"

The green-eyed boy scrambled up to his feet, opening his eyes and blinking off his daze. He was on his four, unable to stand with an injured leg Yusei didn't see earlier, starring at the cold body the former Signer held with an arm.

"And who are you? Harry, who is this man?" the man spoke once more.

"I don't know," Harry said, shaking his head, his eyes not leaving the body. "But he saved me. He helped me – and – and Voldemort. He's back. He's alive."

The man stuttered, looking between Harry, Yusei, and the corpse that only left him even more speechless. Yusei opened his mouth to ask what the heck was going on, but stopped when he realized that confusion was in pandemonium. There were crazier things going around.

Just then, an old man with long beard appeared. His blue eyes passed over Yusei mutely; the old man approached Harry, putting a hand, light as a feather, on his shoulder.

"Harry, come, we have to tend to your wounds."

"Dumbledore, Diggory—"

"I am quite aware, Cornelius," the man named Dumbledore said solemnly.

"Cedric wanted me to bring his body back," Harry said, his face still stuck in monotony while his eyes glued on Cedric's lifeless, unmoving body...

"And you did well to respect his dying wish," Dumbledore said softly. "Now, stand up, Harry. Young man, if you would please put Cedric down..."

Yusei obliged, pulling the arm from his shoulder, supporting the body with two hands as he would on his most precious cards, and fixing him down on the bed of grass. He struggled to look at it, chest knotted, wondering about the possibility if this man would have lived if Yusei had reacted sooner – if he came about earlier – then maybe, just maybe...Yusei shut his eyes, quelling the words of self-loathing stuck on his throat.

"Dumbledore, Amos Diggory's running...he's coming over...Don't you think you should tell him – before he sees - ?"

"Harry, stay here – stay with the young man." The old man gave Yusei a meaningful look before disappearing with the other man. "Don't leave."

Yusei swallowed; it wasn't time for him to wallow in doubt and depression. "Harry – that's your name, right? Here, I'll help you up -"

"Young man, let me take him to the Hospital Wing, he's wounded - look, his leg," he heard a man say, trying to pry Harry away with heavily scarred hands.

"No, he was told to stay," Yusei insisted, supporting Harry like he had supported Cedric up, having an arm circled around his neck. He was caught off-guard by how light Harry was, almost as if he had become a hollow shell.

"I'm a professor of this school. He's my student..."

Yusei hesitated. He had taken a good look at this man and he didn't look like a professor. His face was scarred too – so badly that it looked disfigured; he was missing an eye, replaced by a blue one that moved as if it had a life on its own.

"I'll come along then," Yusei said, looking back to see if Dumbledore was back. "Lead the way, I'll follow."

"A-all right. Lift him up nicely, okay? Come along...ah yes, what's your name, lad?"

Yusei walked through the path the professor was making through the crowd. There were shouts, screams, and sobbing in the air, one of which he distinctly heard was most likely Cedric Diggory's father, wailing, "My son, my son!"

"Yusei Fudo," Yusei answered. "And you, sir?"

"Alastor Moody." They walked out of the grounds, Yusei trying to make out shapes and figures as they walked, one particular silhouette over the lake distinctly looking like a ghost ship. Something big was forming in front of them, soft fire burning from torches on stone walls – it was a castle.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Alastor said carefully. "Tell me, are you a Death Eater—"

"No, professor," Harry said for the first time. He was dragging his feet. "He-he really saved me. He distracted Voldemort...gave me a chance..."

"So you brought him along?" the man said.

"Voldemort would have killed him. Couldn't leave him behind."

"Good thing he's not Muggle then," he muttered. "You could see the castle?"

"Yes," Yusei answered. "But I don't know what you're talking about. Who Voldemort is, what a Muggle is, and...where we are. The cup, the sticks, the light...what's going on?"

"You don't know?" Harry asked hoarsely. "But...the dragon...it was yours..."

"That was Stardust Dragon," Yusei said. "And it was, I suppose..." He didn't know how he could have summoned the dragon after all.

They walked up the marble staircase in silence. Only their footsteps and the wooden leg – attached on the professor's missing one – making clunking noises echoed.

"Harry, tell me, what happened?" Alastor asked quietly.

"I don't think he should be talking-" Yusei said as polite as he could, but Harry pressed on and he spoke like he was on his dying breath.

"Cup was a Portkey. Took me and Cedric to the graveyard...and Voldemort was there..."

"The Dark Lord was there? What happened then?"

"Killed Cedric...they killed Cedric..."

"And then?"

They passed through the corridor.

"And the Death Eaters came...and then we dueled..."

"You dueled with the Dark Lord?"

"Got away...he came out of nowhere...gave me the chance...I used Expelliarmus then – my wand..."

"What about your wand?"

"Did something funny...I saw my mum and dad...dragon came out of my wand...I saw my mum and dad out of his wand..."

They reached a room. Yusei frowned. "Is this the clinic?"

"No, no, my office. Closest. But I have some remedy here. Get him here."

Yusei helped Harry sit down on a chair. He heard the clinking of locking behind.

"Why did you lock the door?"

"Nowhere safe now. They're definitely after Potter," Alastor grunted. "Might finish off the job. Now here drink this...you too, Yusei...it will make you feel better..."

Yusei looked at the content of his cup; it looked like plain water. Harry drank it up without a second thought. Yusei took a slow sip that immediately burned up his throat. He didn't remember water being so spicy.

"What is this?" Yusei asked, glaring at the cup.

"Must not be your liking," Alastor said, smiling bleakly. "It's got some good medicine...finish it up..."

Yusei obliged once more. It did seem to have some wonders, helping it clear his mind but...Yusei flinched. It also gave him a headache, like a weird side-effect.

"Yusei Fudo's your real name?" he heard Alastor ask. His voice vaguely sounded like a prerecorded voice.

"Yes," Yusei answered automatically. He frowned, struggling to think all of a sudden. Something was out of place.

"Did you know what exactly happened?"

"No," Yusei answered. There it goes again.

"Did you really help Harry?"

"Yes."

"What did you do?"

"I kicked those men in black robes."

"You kicked them? Don't you have a wand?"

"No."

"And what else did you do?"

"I helped Harry hold onto his wand."

"Why would you do that?"

Yusei's frown deepened. He hesitated. "He had to hold onto it. That light or else he'd die."

"What about this dragon Harry's talking about?"

This time, Yusei didn't answer. He looked at Alastor - his scarred face even clearer and detailed than before - confused. "...why are you asking?"

Alastor was silent. He was holding onto his stick – wand and felt it twitched toward him. He turned back to Harry instead.

"What did the Dark Lord take from you?" Alastor asked.

"Blood," Harry answered just as Yusei had.

They began talking; he heard their voices chatter like buzzing bees. Yusei thought his mind was clear; he really felt everything was so sharp and crystal clear, but the more he tried to think, the more confusing everything was. He shouldn't just think because it made that headache painful. Yusei did not like what he was hearing himself say. Defiance merely sparked in him even more. No...something wasn't right. He had to act now. He had to force himself...he can't just ignore it...or else – or else, Harry might...like Cedric Diggory...

"You're mad," Harry said. Yusei's eyes flew open like he had just woken up- "You're mad!"

"Mad am I?" Alastor said, his voice losing all calm and pretense. "We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him – and now – I conq—"

Yusei grabbed Alastor by the wrist whose hand was holding the wand; he pinned the arm up above Alastor's head, taking hold on his elbow securely with his other hand. Alastor was shouting but Yusei ignored him; he stepped his left foot forward, twisted his hip, and sent Alastor flying with a 180 degrees spin. There was a loud crash from where Alastor landed, simultaneous with the blasting of the locked door, splinters flying through the air.

Yusei yanked Harry out of the chair and pushed him back to the wall, protectively shielding the boy with his own body almost twice Harry's.

"Wait, it's okay, it's the professors," Yusei heard Harry's voice from behind. There was that Dumbledore and two other at the doorway.

"That man who gave you poison was your professor too," Yusei said darkly, not keeping his eyes away from the three whose wands were all raised. "I'm not having any kid dying by my watch again."

Butterflies fluttered in Harry's stomach when he saw Dumbledore's face. He had never seen wrath so pronounced in his old, wrinkled face. Harry opened his mouth to say something but it was too late.

"Stupefy!" Dumbledore said. The jet of red shot from the tip of his wand but it didn't head for Yusei, but for Alastor who didn't budge upon contact with the light. "Hmm, it seems he's already unconscious."

"Headmaster, this man with Potter..."

To Harry's horror, it was Professor Snape who spoke. Both the bat-like man's wand and narrowed eyes were pointed at Yusei who returned it with a remarkable flare of gallantry as if he were the one with the upper hand. Snape's lips twitched. No doubt he didn't like this Gryffindor attitude and Harry wasn't exactly a student Snape would miss. His fingers made the tiniest movement-

"He's with me!" Harry said, quickly looking up at Yusei. "Er, I forgot your name, sorry didn't catch it-"

"Yes, a friend whose name you had conveniently forgotten," Snape sneered.

But Dumbledore said: "Please, Severus, fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down the kitchens and bring me the house-elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in a pumpkin patch. Take the dog back to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, the come back here."

"Headmaster, I suggest we deal with this intruder first—"

"Albus, we must take Harry to the Hospital Wing!" Professor McGonagall cried out, drowning out Snape's voice. "He has been through enough for tonight!"

"Minerva, Severus, please. Do as I say and quickly."

That had done the magic. The two professors, confused with the orders and equally doubtful of them, vanished through the doorway to do what was instructed. Snape threw a look of loathing towards the direction of the two before he turned to go, his black robes dramatically swishing. Dumbledore approached Yusei who raised his arms, probably to do what he did to Moody.

"Harry and I would have to talk. He needs to know for him to accept, and then to recover. You may stay with him."

"This is Professor Dumbledore and I trust him with my whole life," Harry said seriously. "Let me talk to him."

Yusei lowered his fists, conceding cautiously. "All right."

Dumbledore did not even smile, but he nodded at Yusei. He went over to the trunk with seven locks and it one by one, each resulting into revealing items inside, different content as each locked were opened. It was at the seventh that Yusei was blown away; even Harry, whom he had assumed came from here, was speechless.

Inside the trunk was an underground room and there, lying inside, was an exact replica of the Alastor Moody Yusei knocked out, except his blue eye and wooden leg were missing. The man inside the room looked starved and thin with patches of his gray hair missing. Then, as if this was a normal occasion, Dumbledore hopped in the trunk and bent over the body.

"Stunned – controlled by the Imperius Curse – very weak. Of course, they would need to keep him alive. Harry, throw down the imposter's cloak – the man unconscious and pretending to be Moody – he's freezing. Madam Pomfrey will need to see him, but he seems in no immediate danger."

Harry had barely recovered from the shock and almost tripped forward when Yusei nudged him by the elbow. After covering up the malnourished man inside the underground room, there was a brief explanation about something called the Polyjuice Potion. Yusei listened to the perplexing discussion without saying a single word or even showing any hint on his face what he was thinking. Even as they waited, watching the knocked out man in silence, he did not raise questions. However, something had just hit Yusei.

"Excuse me," Yusei finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "What time is it?"

The two other occupants in the room didn't think his question was the right thing to ask right now but chose not to comment about it. Harry looked at his wristwatch. "Thirty minutes past ten o'clock. Why?"

Yusei bit his lip. "My friends must be worried. I told them I was going out for a brief walk."

Dumbledore's eyes sharpened. "Mr...?"

"Yusei Fudo. You can call me Yusei."

"Yusei, where do you happen to live?"

Yusei didn't answer. Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, looking at the blank expression on the man's face.

"Where are your friends staying?" Dumbledore asked instead.

"At an abandoned house," Yusei answered truthfully.

Dumbledore's eyes flashed. "Up a hill above a small village?"

The surprise in Yusei's face answered Dumbledore's question. Dumbledore whipped his wand out, casting a spell that summoned a misty, white-glowing phoenix that Harry recognized as a Patronus. The phoenix flew off, phasing through the walls and disappearing. Yusei didn't know what the old man was doing but he felt it had something to do with his friends.

"What's going on?" Yusei asked.

Dumbledore had summoned a parchment and quill, scribbling quickly; the parchment vanished when he was done.

"How long have you been staying there, Yusei?"

"Two days – tell me what's wrong!" Yusei demanded, his voice rising.

"Your friends are in danger," Dumbledore answered gravely. "Voldemort must have noticed that someone had trespassed in his house."

"_What_?" Yusei yelled. All the cool in his head was gone. He could swallow all the magic he was slapped in so far, but not the danger his friends were facing. "I have to go back. Send me back!"

"No," Dumbledore said sharply. "You must stay."

Harry thought Yusei was going to fly a punch at Dumbledore's face. It was at this moment that Harry realized the stark contrast between the level-headed Yusei and the temperamental one. Yusei was dangerously quiet and still that Harry didn't even see his lips move. "Explain."

"You were in the wrong place at a wrong time," Dumbledore said. "Although if you had not been here to tell me, it might have been too late for you and your friends. The house you speak of is Voldemort's and while he holds not a trace of sentiment to that place, he is careful of his tracks. I'm sure he had set a trap to warn him if there were an intruder in his house.

"What you had involved yourself into was a mistake on your part but good fortune for Harry here. You have indeed saved his life but at that moment you jumped in to ah..."

"Kick Death Eater's butt, literally," Harry supplied.

"Yes, kick Death Eater's butt. The moment you had, you have become a witness to the revival of the Dark Lord. Voldemort would certainly keep his revival quiet to bid his time gathering his army once more. He will hunt down those who know the truth and you are one of them, Yusei."

"I don't care."

"I see. How do you plan on coming back?"

"The cup. From what I gather, it's a two-way teleportation device."

"And you are very much aware that the other side, back at the graveyard, is where Voldemort and the Death Eaters are where they can torture and kill you."

Yusei paused, looking directly at Dumbledore's hard expression. There was a tense silence until he said, "Would you be willing to help me then?"

For the first time since he came into the room, the intense, burning fury in Dumbledore's eyes melted away; he smiled. "What an unexpected humility. I must thank you for showing me that but yes," he said, beaming. "I would be happy to. I have already alerted wizards there. They should be Apparating right now. Hopefully, your friends would not kick their butts by some mistake."

There was a dry smile on Yusei's face. "Actually, I think they would. And I'm afraid they're actually...more capable than me. Do you think I can send them a message?"

"That would be best. Be sure to assure them you are who you declare. I'm afraid they might doubt even your own voice."

Yusei shook his head. "I don't need to say anything." He took out something from his belt and showed a card to Dumbledore. "Just tell your folks to say this: To the King of Games and World's Greatest Slacker and show this card to them."

Dumbledore gingerly accepted the card, bending over to see. He muttered a few words – an incantation – waved his wand, and the card vanished.

"Please take good care of it," Yusei said. "It's a card I don't ever hand to just anyone."

"Dutifully noted," Dumbledore answered. "Now, it seems the Polyjuice Potion is wearing off..."

The night had yet to end there. Yusei could feel he was about to be faced with a lot of questions as authorities began dealing with the matters at hand. Many of the staff in the castle had shot him questioning looks when they passed by. He supposed he stood out, not wearing robes like what the custom was here and maybe because of the criminal mark on his face. He followed where Dumbledore was, climbing up a secret staircase past a gargoyle that jumps out of the way upon saying the password. They came up to an office where they met up with a man with shaggy, tangled black hair.

"Who is he?" he immediately asked.

"The man who gave Harry the chance for survival," Dumbledore said as he sat behind his desk. "I'm afraid I cannot leave him behind anywhere. His recount of the events are relevant as well. Yusei, this is Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, but his identity and his existence is a secret to the wizardly world."

"Albus, you can't be saying Harry has to tell you what happened! Not tonight!" Sirius said indignantly as Dumbledore tiredly sat behind his desk. "Let him sleep. Let him have rest."

"If I thought I could help you," Dumbledore said softly to Harry who stiffened, "by putting you into an enchanted sleep and allowing you to postpone the moment when you would have to think about what has happened tonight, I would do it. But I know better. Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it. You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you. I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time. I ask you to tell us what happened."

"I'm sorry I have to be here," Yusei said quietly. "If I had known what was happening, if I had acted earlier, your friend might have still been alive. Maybe I would have eased the pain you're experiencing too." He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm really sorry."

"No, it's okay, you saved my life," Harry said, feeling even worse now that he recalled Cedric even more. "I just got you into this mess. I should be the one apologizing." Then he swallowed and once more, recounted the events last night to the old man, this time the lack of Veritaserum making it difficult to do.

"Yusei, you have no magical background?" Dumbledore asked once Harry was explaining how Yusei helped him keep a hold on his wand.

"Like I'm you guys? No," Yusei said.

"Then you didn't know what had happened was _priori incantem_?"

"No," he said again. "I just had...the feeling Harry had to keep that light from his wand connected."

"I see. Continue, Harry..."

There was an explanation about the images that came out of the wands, relating to the _priori incantem_ Dumbledore mentioned, yet they hit a stop regarding the Stardust Dragon.

"I've never been able to magically summon my Stardust Dragon like that," Yusei said.

"That is the card you have given me as proof your identity to your friends earlier?' Dumbledore asked.

"It is. I have always had a deep connection with that card and..." Yusei finally pulled the glove covering his mark, showing to them the Head Mark – at least, where it was supposed to be. "My best guess is my mark, the Head Mark of the dragon but it's no longer here. But you saw the red light, right, Harry? It was there...for a moment..."

"I thought you were going to show the Dark Mark for a moment," Sirius said dryly.

Dumbledore was in deep thought. "Yusei, could you enlighten us who you are exactly? Not a wizard, not a Muggle."

"I'm a duelist," Yusei answered proudly. "At least from where I came from. I would need the consent of my friends to explain everything."

When Harry had finished, they had taken him and Harry to the real clinic of the school. To Yusei's shock, Sirius had turned to a great black dog to accompany his godson. He patted him hesitantly. For the rest of night, they were instructed to rest, which Yusei point-blank refused.

"I'm going to help my friends," Yusei said.

Just then, the door opened, revealing two teenagers the same age of Harry, who were looking around madly.

"Where's Harry—"

"There he is!" the redhead boy shouted, pointing at Harry. "Get him!"

The school nurse, Madam Pomrfrey looked livid. "You're in the Hospital Wing—"

But the two rushed past the nurse and threw their arms on Harry who drowned on their affection.

"Harry, we were so worried!" the bushy-haired girl cried out.

"Yeah, we were," the redhead said distractedly, somehow looking pleased at how the girl also embraced him. Harry pulled a smile like a stretching rubber. "Anyway, Mum and Dad can't come. And Bill and Charlie. Something to do with Dumbledore's orders. What d'you—"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, your friend would need tonight for himself. He needs some rest."

The two blushed, muttering incoherent apologies. They both looked at Yusei then back at Harry, who just smiled and mouthed 'go.' They patted the black dog who gave a bark and left.

"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a while," Dumbledore told Madam Pomfrey. "I assure you, he is extremely well-trained. Yusei, please stay for a little longer. While Barty Crouch will serve as testimony for the minister, I would need your presence on behalf of Harry's testimony, unless you feel exhausted from tonight's events, I request your cooperation."

"Hold on, you have to tell me honestly first," Yusei said apprehensively. "How powerful is Voldemort and his Death Eaters?"

Dumbledore arched en eyebrow. "Voldemort is extremely powerful. He is without mercy or love and seek nothing but power in his ambition. His followers follow him out of awe, fear, and power. They have inherited Voldemort's callousness although Voldemort's is on a completely different scale."

"Is he stronger than you?" Yusei asked quietly.

"No," the old man said instantly. "Never. He would never conquer me."

"Then – do you think – somehow – my friends can – live?" He struggled for words, not wanting to say what he didn't want to hear.

"Do they magic to defend themselves?"

"Two overprotective magical spirits, yes," Yusei said quickly.

Dumbledore piercing blue eyes looked at Yusei's pupils like he was starring right into his soul. Yusei swallowed, overwhelmed by the gushing power from the wizened wizard.

"There's a good chance that they'll survive," Dumbledore finally replied. "With Voldemort burning with anger at Harry's escape, our quick initiative should lead them to safety. I will be informed if they had made it out."

Yusei breathed out shakily, dropping down the bed. "All right. I'll trust you."

"Thank you," Dumbledore said, half-confused and half-wary. "Good night, Yusei."

The old man left. Harry was already soundlessly asleep, an empty bottle left beside him. The nurse had gone elsewhere. Yusei heard the small cackling of flames from the lamps and the distant sounds of crying that remained tonight. Yusei lied down, putting his hands behind his head and starring at the ceiling.

There was no point worrying. It's true that right now he needed a good rest. It's best to reserve his strength right now than hopelessly worry...waiting for any calls to assure his friends' safety...

He had barely fallen asleep. He was slightly conscious as if part of his head were still wide awake, eavesdropping to outside noises, when loud shouting on the corridor just outside the clinic woke Yusei up. He sat right up, seeing visitors – the redhead, bushy-haired girl, and a woman he didn't recognize- surrounding Harry's bed appearing just as clueless and upset at the ruckus.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" He knew that voice. It was the man who demanded Yusei's identity and kept on repeating how Cedric was dead; his voice was getting clearer.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" shrieked the old woman's voice. "When Dumbledore finds out -"

The doors burst open, revealing Yusei's guesses were spot-on. They were the two people he met earlier, both looking flustered and angry. The portly man strode over Harry's bed with the two professors Dumbledore ordered earlier right behind him.

"Where's Dumbledore?" he demanded.

There was this small, roundish woman who had flaring red hair. Right on her face was an indignant scowl. "This is a hospital wing, Minister," she chided. "Don't you think you'd better to-"

The door opened again. Yusei could see Madam Pomfrey putting her palm on her frustrated face. But Yusei thought it was good news Dumbledore came. He usually had these sorted out and Yusei didn't like how this man – the minister – had given him a wary look.

"Dumbledore, who is this man? He was with Diggory and Potter but he's no Hogwarts student – or from the foreign schools! Goodness, he's not wearing robes—"

"That's not what you should be reporting right now," Professor McGonagall said furiously.

"Reporting? My dear woman, I'm the prime minister! I wouldn't be reporting to anyone!"

"What is going on?" Dumbledore said, looking at the minister and Professor McGonagall. "Minerva, I have told you to stand guard over Barty Crouch -"

"There is no need to stand guard over him, Dumbledore!" she shouted. "The Minister has seen to that!"

It was Professor Snape, the man with a long hooked nose and greasy black hair that explained: "When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events, he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch -"

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," she screamed, a finger pointed at the minister, her whole body quivering in anger, "it swooped down on Crouch and - and -"

"And?" Yusei said aloud. He had been listening intently that he did not catch on to the hanging silence that was supposed to give meaning to itself. Now, all eyes were on him.

"And?" the minister repeated. "Don't you know what a dementor does? Don't tell me you've brought in a Muggle, Dumbledore!"

"Cornelius, he is within the castle grounds. I'm sure you know Muggles cannot just knock on Hogwarts doorstep," Dumbledore said exasperatedly.

"Then who is he? Barty Crouch merely met his unfortunate end earlier than anticipated. I'd like to move on to the next issue now. Getting late."

"He is a witness, just like Harry here," Dumbledore said, waving a hand at the boy who everyone didn't realize was awake by now. "With Barty Crouch's state, he can no longer give testimony. But Yusei Fudo here can give his accurate recount of what had happened in the graveyard on Voldemort's revival-"

"There you go again!" the minister blustered. "Voldemort is not back Dumbledore. He can't be." He shook his head as he took several steps away from Dumbledore..

"Would you like to hear it now?" Dumbledore pressed on, his face fierce once more. "You may listen to their testimonies in two separate rooms and you will find their accounts matching."

He laughed. "Dumbledore, you pull out a man out of nowhere -" he threw an arrogant scoff at Yusei's direction "-and tell Harry to follow your cock-and-bull story? How much are you paying your staff to have them play along this game? I don't have time for this Dumbledore."

And for the third time in a row, the door burst open; however, no figure arrived sweeping in with black robes. Instead, there was a four-legged beast with silky, beautiful fur that seemed to radiate silver. As it ambled gracefully, the moon seemed to follow. Sirius – in his dog form – was barking.

Perhaps taking out those wands was the best thing to do but all their eyes seemed to lock at the majestic beast, absorbing every detail of its fine fur. The beast leaped up on Yusei's bed, howled an awe-striking cry, and faded into darkness. From where it was once, a card was left. It was only when Yusei had cried out triumphantly that they woke up from the stupor.

"They're okay! Yugi must have sent Stardust Dragon back to make sure I know! And – if I'm not mistaken – they should be coming!"

It was Dumbledore who broke the silent. His tone was quite puzzled and a little anxious. "How exactly, Yusei?"

There was a cacophony of screaming from the grounds outside; it lacked terror in its shriek. The professors rushed to the window to see while the others waited, listening for the noise. They heard a loud, unearthly and beastly growl that trembled the ceiling along with a teenager's voice flying through the winds: "YUGI, THIS IS AWESOME! I LOVE IT!"


	3. The Ancient Spirits

**Author's Notes:** Friendly reminder that I've never watched 5d's and barely made it to the relevant plot points of gx so tell me if there are any OoCness and cannon issues. To be honest, my main source for this fanfic is the wikipedia and LK's abridged series (also where I draw inspiration). In any case, Abridged Yusei's voice is hawt. I want to marry his voice :3 kitty face.

Credits to Hagridizer for Hagrid's accent!

* * *

><p>III: The Ancient Spirits<p>

"Yugi! Judai!" Yusei shouted to the ceiling. From the crowded windows, Dumbledore and the others looked up apprehensively, their eyes tracing the movement only through the thundering noises.

"Hey, I think I heard Yusei!" came Judai's muffled voice.

Yusei laughed. He jumped toward the window, the wizards opening a path to him with wide eyes but Yusei didn't care. He poked his head out, the wind sweeping cushions of air onto his face, and he shouted at the top of his voice for them to hear. "Nice thing you have big ears! Don't blow a hole on the roof now!"

"Nice thing you have a big mout—WOAH close call!"

"Judai—don't—hold-neck-choking!"

"Sorry about that Yugs! I was aiming for your hair..."

Yusei laughed like expelling all the negative thoughts and ideas that coped up with him that night; the life he might have been able to save, the evil tyrant who was now after their heads, the tense disagreement between two parties here.

But when the rattling of the ceiling had stopped and a matter of few seconds had past, the room zoomed back to the way it was. Tension and apprehensions, faces suspicious waiting for confirmation. If only Yusei could remain ignorant of the anticipating silence but the minister had seen to it he wouldn't get such privilege. Back to arguing.

The minister didn't seem to know where to start, torn between Dumbledore and Yusei who to pin the blame on and demand answers. Though he wasn't the only one baffled, all pair of eyes in the room had expectantly looked at the minister, foreseeing that, since his blatant disagreement with Dumbledore just now, he would shoot at Dumbledore for finding a fault. The very concept of what had transpired was still loading in the minister's head however as only broken phrases made it out of his throat.

"In-intruders! In Hogwarts! A beast – something - flew right – on the grounds – the school – but the wards - this man - D-dumbledore - !"

Yusei got a glimpse of Dumbledore's reaction. While the wild expression of the pudgy man's face was indeed priceless, Yusei didn't miss the old man's feeling of potent at the recent development.

"We will continue our discussion in my office, Cornelius," Dumbledore said, his presence once again taking hold of the situation. "Minerva, escort the minister. Severus, come with me. They must be by the Forbidden Forest. Harry, do not leave the Hospital Wing. Yusei..."

"Yes," Yusei answered instantly. Dumbledore beckoned for him to follow without another word though Snape's lips curled up as if he wanted to otherwise. The duelist ignored him, sweeping past the tongue-tied minister and vanished before he could argue about Dumbledore's decision.

Yusei followed behind Dumbledore. They walked briskly with only their footsteps on the marble floor allowed to make noises. Behind Yusei was Snape whose stare he could feel as if he wanted to make Yusei's head explode just by gawking at it.

"I didn't think you had the gall to cause the headmaster more trouble as it is," Snape said discreetly.

Yusei chose not to reply. Even if he acknowledged it, there was nothing to be done about what's been done.

"What was the thing that flew above the castle?" Snape pressed on, his voice even softer. "The castle is heavily enchanted even by powerful ancient wards with layers of intricate, thick magic - thousand years old had made it impenetrable - you could never dream to comprehend. What dark magic did you posses to break through the castle?"

"You and I both know I could do no such thing," Yusei replied with a low voice.

"Lies," he hissed. "You are choosing your words carefully. I can see through you. You are associated with the darkest of magic."

"Look, I'm sorry if it's a habit of mine to think before talking. I didn't know it was considered dark here," Yusei said scathingly. "Unless you can't commune with respect, I'd rather if we end this conversation now before we get sidetracked."

Snape looked livid. "Respect is only for those who earned and deserved it!"

"A matter on whose righteous standard we're referring to," Yusei snapped. "I'd rather not argue about something purely theoretical. If there's anything to be said then let it be done first."

"It is common sense here to think three steps ahead of your enemy," Snape said. "To act is not merely to _react_. No doubt you don't see the logic behind matters you do not understand!"

"Then neither of us are in the proper position to criticize each other, Professor," Yusei said evenly. "Lest we be hypocrites, which I'd rather not be and don't believe you are of that type either."

Snape continued to glare silently, almost sullenly. It might have been the bit of respect Yusei actually gave that made Snape reconsider his statement about the stranger and the fact Yusei didn't give in to his taunts. Yusei's self-control gave that general idea.

Finally receiving a more or less agreeable mood, Yusei spoke. "I'm sure something must have happened for them to come here rather flashily."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said. "The fact that they came straight to Hogwarts must have required them to take drastic measures."

"Yeah, but Judai sounded happy," Yusei said dubiously. "That's the kid who was yelling at the top of his lungs. If something bad had happened, he wouldn't be celebrating like that."

The frosty air prickled through their clothes and onto their skin as they made their way through the isle of chandeliers and the majestic castle door. They had just barely past the paddock packed with winged horses teetering restlessly when they came to a complete halt right before an immense creature lying before a hut.

It was difficult to see it in the dark with the minimal light coming from the castle and the hut. The two professors managed to make their wands light up like candles and raised their arms to allow the glow to cover the beast. What they saw made them jump backward.

"It's the Curse of Dragon," Yusei explained to them. "It's Yugi's. It's harmless...I hope."

The dragon wasn't pleased with the light. It stood upright on its torso where two claws protruded outward, the same on its back, and slithered toward the edge, dragging its forked tail and flapping its golden wings. The dragon didn't look remotely alive and could pass as a polished craft made out of golden rocks.

The giant door of the hut swung open, revealing an even bigger man – the biggest person Yusei had seen in his entire life – with thick, tousled up black hair and beard. He distinctly reminded Yusei of a hermit. A really big hermit.

"Dumbledore, everyone's safe," he grunted. "And here-"

The rest of the giant's words were drowned by the chorus of cries from the three duelists, relieved and glad to see each other safe and sound. They even looked unscratched although Yusei thought Yugi was a little paler. He and Judai exchanged a smirk and clasped hands wordlessly then Yusei knocked fists with Yugi, which was subtler than his greeting with Judai.

"Where are Arthur and the others?" Dumbledore asked.

"Left the moment the dragon landed." The giant man looked fondly at the creature, snoring purple miasma out of its crocodile mouth. "A beauty she is."

"Well done," Dumbledore said. "The minister is waiting for me in my office but I need to know what incited this course of action. Severus, go to my office and inform the minister of my delay. Assure him that I am speaking to those concerned and that there is no reason for him to be alarmed. Hagrid, I would need to speak in private with these young men. If you would lend us your house for a while, I would be delighted."

"O' course! Sure, go ahead," Hagrid said hurriedly. "I'll jus' look after the dragon until then."

"Erm," Yui said, looking at his monster nervously. "It won't attack you but don't give it a reason to. That would be...bad."

"Oh yeh said it yerself, Yug'," Hagrid said genially, waving a hand. "She's harmless!"

"Yeah, but only because I'm around..." he mumbled. "Not sure what it would do when I'm not looking..."

They went back in the hut and sat by the stool. The dog, who Yugi introduced to Yusei as fang, had raised its head to greet them shortly before going back to its slumber. Dumbledore closed the door and sat at a giant, flattened couch that must be where Hagrid usually sat.

"I suppose introductions are in order," Dumbledore said, observing the three of them under the candlelight. "I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Judai Yuki!" Judai said, pointing a thumb to his chest. "Soon-to-be King of Games!"

"I'm Yugi Motou," Yugi said simply.

"The _current_ King of Games," Yusei added, smirking.

Yugi chuckled sheepishly. "You're also King of Games. You'd have to be specific what 'current' we're talking about."

"Nah, that's long history for me," Yusei said. "Anyway, I think I'd have to do the explaining first." He looked at Dumbledore for approval; he nodded. Yusei turned to speak with his two friends. "It was by chance that I met this kid, Harry in the graveyard down the village. I didn't know what was going on but at first I heard laughing. When I checked it out, Harry was screaming and a bunch of guys in masks and robes were going to kill him. I couldn't just stand by and watch so I jumped in. Harry did something that distracted them from me and he was using this wand-"

Yugi and Judai nodded at Yusei's hesitant pause. "We know," Yugi said. No doubt they all found wizards and wands not easy to digest.

"The man Harry was facing, Voldemort, did some sort of spell too but something happened," Yusei continued. "There was a golden thread that connected their wands and it formed a dome around them. I had this sudden fear that if Harry let go of that connection, he would die. I went in and helped him hold onto it and then something happened...my mark reappeared."

"What?" Judai said. "But how?"

Yusei pulled his glove and showed them his arm. "It's not here but I was sure it reappeared. Harry saw it too. Then Stardust Dragon came out of his wand. I can feel it's not really him but sort of...an image, like the people that came out one by one from Voldemort's wand. Stardust Dragon helped us escape."

"Could you elaborate the relevance and connection of this mark and Stardust Dragon?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well," Yusei said, looking meaningfully at Yugi and Judai. "If it's fine for them..."

"They saved our lives back in the manor," Judai said. "I think we can trust them. No, I know we can."

"And with all this magic, I think our best chance of getting help is from them too," Yugi said.

"All right," Yusei said. "First, you'd have to believe about time-traveling, Professor."

"Done," Dumbledore said. "It is not a new concept in the magical community."

"Good. There's more," Yusei continued. "You'd have to believe about dimension-hopping too."

Dumbledore gave Yusei a curious look. "That is not unheard of...in myths and archeological findings. Unfortunately, it is still an idea even in wizard standards. Parallel universe has always been more of a Muggle – the non-magical folks - concept."

Judai raised his hand. "Uh, I've been in an alternate dimension."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Very well. The dimension-hopping is viable. Continue."

"You see, we're not from the future like what you'd expect. We came from a different dimension first...then we came from different timeline. Yugi lives ten years before Judai's timeline and I lived _farther_ in the future."

"What gave you the idea you hopped in a new dimension?" Dumbledore asked.

All three of them looked glum and bitter at his question.

"This," Yusei said, showing his deck. "The sport that we all passionately dedicate ourselves into. The game that makes up half of our identity. The bond that links us all together. Duel Monsters."

"It is a Muggle card game?" Dumbledore asked. "I would have to ask Arthur to look it up."

"It doesn't exist," Yusei said, shaking his head. "It's popular world-wide but no one's ever heard of it."

"Have you considered that perhaps you three are in the distant past?"

"We have," Yusei said. "Yugi's year is 1996, but it's 1993 here..."

"Duel Monsters was created in 1900 by Industrial Illusion, an American Company run by Maximilian Pegasus," Yugi said. "Maybe it's not yet popularized. I knew the game the year later they made the release since my grandfather runs a game shop but it didn't really become a hit for a while..."

"Then we still need to further investigate before finding out plausible solutions," Dumbledore said, nodding. "Please continue."

"We might be from different time period but we all have something to do with Duel Monsters," Yusei said. "Each of us have a different story about that though..."

"Well, long story short, I have a spirit fused into my soul," Judai supplied cheerfully. "She's a real bastard compared to Yugi's."

"Don't say stuffs like that," Yugi said awkwardly, lips twitching nervously. For some reason, Judai's possessive spirit never liked Yugi and Yami especially. Judai, who was normally energetic and nice, would turn rather darker whenever Yubel's spirit was in question, making it really uncomfortable to get between them. "I have a spirit guarding me too but he's more like my other self. He resides in this puzzle, the Sennen Puzzle...oh, he said he'll just introduce himself." There was a pause. Both Yusei and Judai knew that the spirit was taking over. When Yugi opened his eyes, they had a different tint in them like he'd seen the world in a completely different view. "I am Yugi's other self. I am referred to as Yami as I don't have recollection of my past or my own name." Yami Yugi peered over Dumbledore's face. "You are not in the least surprised?"

He looked deep in thought, starring at the possessed boy before him. "No, but I will not lie that I am not alarmed." By taking a good look at Dumbledore, one would say he was even troubled. "The fusion of two souls and possession of will, consciousness, and body through a magical artifact...no fool would not think this as dark magic at its very core."

Yami Yugi looked affronted and there was a strange flicker in Judai's eyes.

"Are you implying that I am a cause of danger?" Yami said ferociously that Yusei went wide-eyed. "It's true that I am dangerous but I would never lay a hand on anyone and I would protect Yugi with everything I can!"

"I won't lie either that Yubel's not dangerous," Judai said quietly. It was a complete change in demeanor that they all stood on their guard. "But with her fused with my soul, she won't be harming anyone...not anymore..."

"You consider the spirit of no threat without considering yourself as its own victim?" Dumbledore asked, frowning.

Fang shrieked and barked madly as fire burst right behind Dumbledore, eating the wood with a thirst that could never be quenched. Dumbledore had his wand raised, eying at the room for the invisible attacker. Everyone froze up, expecting another blast; or someone from outside to bang on the doors. Nothing else happened.

"Yubel!" Judai cried out angrily.

Dumbledore cast a spell, water shooting from the tip of his wand but the fire was not stopped. He cast another and this time the water had worked, leaving behind an angry black scorch. Even if none of the duelists were familiar with spells, they knew that thing that Yubel conjured was not something ordinary, even by magical standards.

"I'm so sorry," Judai said shamefully. "I understand if you don't trust me, but Yugi and Yusei-"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Yusei said fiercely. "If Dumbledore doesn't trust you, we don't trust him either. Don't even think of isolating yourself."

"He's right, Judai," Yami said. He didn't look like he approved of Yubel either, almost as strong as Dumbledore's, but he had no such thought to put the blame on Judai or believe he had that intent to do harm.

"I have the belief," Dumbledore said, breaking the silence. "that one is innocent until proven guilty. However," he stressed, starring intently to them, "I would not tolerate any form of violence, especially with such dark magic -" he gestured to the scorched mark "-to anyone, especially students of my school, and even toward Death Eaters or Voldemort himself. Should this happen to anyone else from tonight onward...we will part ways, enemy or not."

"Hold on," Yusei said carefully. "We haven't talked about any alliance yet. I'm not sure what you'd be getting from us either in this exchange."

Dumbledore raised his hand up. "We are getting disquieted. Let us sit down once more."

The duelists didn't realize they were up on their feet. Fang was also at the corner, whimpering like he just had a terrible nightmare. With various, defeated sighs, they sat back down. Dumbledore waved his wand to serve tea, giant mugs the size of a basketball, hovering in the air and an even bigger teapot pouring tea into them.

"Let us resume. I will take my turn to explain once Yusei is done with his. I've been hearing the mark and Stardust Dragon since you appeared with Harry."

Yugi had taken control once more, throwing Judai worried looks when he was looking pretty much on a slump. The only way Yugi could think to cheer him up was by having a duel but they couldn't do that right now. As Yusei explained his share, Yugi leaned in but Judai barely noticed. He elbowed him lightly. Finally, Judai looked up.

"You remember Ryou Bakura?" Yugi asked quietly.

"I think he participated in the first Battle City," Judai said. "He didn't really compete later on. Why?"

"I haven't told you guys everything since it's concerned with other people," Yugi said. "I didn't think it was right for me to but you and Yubel remind me of Bakura and his other self." Judai's eyebrows shot up. Successfully taking Judai's attention, Yugi continued. "Yami Bakura wasn't the most agreeable spirit there was. We were pretty much on the opposite sides actually, but Bakura's still our friend. Even if we knew he had a spirit who wanted to take my puzzle, we still hang around with each other. Nothing's going to change that."

"Did he feel like he was endangering your very lives?" Judai mumbled, playing with his mug.

Yugi smiled slightly. "He had to transfer schools all the time," he said, his voice even more quiet. Judai was unresponsive. "But we managed to make him stay in Domino City," Yugi said, smiling warmly."We're pretty persistent like that."

Judai slowly grinned. It wasn't the same grin, but it was still one. "Was Yami Bakura really that bad?" he asked sheepishly.

Yugi pondered. "Hmm. Not really. He kind of injured Bakura if it's needed...and he'd manipulate him to get what he want. He's...really mean. I guess he is kind of bad, haha."

"Yeah? I think he's definitely like Yubel," Judai said mysteriously. "She can be a pain you know but she's...good deep down. Just hurt...and violent." He grinned wider. "Thanks, Yugi."

Yugi grinned back. He raised his pointing finger to his lip, winking, then jabbed a thumb back to Dumbledore who began talking. As Dumbledore explained the secrecy of wizards, the tale of Harry Potter, and rise, fall, and rise once more of the Dark Lord, the spirit of Yami Yugi was smiling at his partner's figure.

If Yami Yugi had the gift of knowledge and power, Yugi had the gift no one else had: kindness. This is why, no matter how many duels he win, Yami Yugi always remember that he is inferior and must remain as a humble being before this gentle person.

Almost half an hour had passed when Dumbledore finished and the duelists satisfied with the results. It wasn't over yet however.

"Now I would need to know what happened in the Riddle Manor," he said. "I ask you give me the briefest summary, but not omitting the most important details. I would have to speak to Cornelius armed with the right information."

"All right," Judai said, his tone serious. Yami had taken over again and the two of them recounted the events that had them flying on a monster dragon to a school of magic all the way from England to Scotland.

"We realized Yusei hadn't come back when we woke up to the noises in the house," Judai said. "Yubel already felt their presence – those guys, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Remus, Tonks, and Kingsley – and she couldn't really tell if they were bad or what. Me and Yugi split up to look for Yusei. We didn't want them to hear where we were so we had to crawl around quietly looking for him. If only he told us where he'd gone to." Judai chose this moment to shoot Yusei a look. "After a while, Mr. Weasley found me and he didn't really look like a bad guy so I gave him a chance to talk. He showed me the Stardust Dragon. That's how I knew Yusei must be somewhere else. But Mr. Weasley said they've split up too to find us and..."

Judai eyed Yami Yugi pityingly. Yusei didn't have a good feeling about this.

"I sensed Yugi being followed," Yami explained blankly. "I too realized Yusei wasn't in the house. Yugi and I were going to meet up with Judai but we didn't want to bring along an unwanted guest. I tried shaking him off my trail by making decoys and noises to mislead him; however, in my attempt in doing so, without realizing there were several more of them, the noises only attracted others to my direction. It was just bad luck that everyone but Mr. Weasley ended up finding me," he said dryly. "I...reacted the way I thought I should when I felt surrounded."

"It didn't turn out badly," Judai said, seeing Yusei's face. "But..."

"I suppose Yusei wouldn't believe until he sees," Yami said, smiling strangely. "Normally, I've had matters settled through a fair duel. Even if my opponent were cheating. Of course, there are prices to pay for breaking the rules..." Yami's broody facade slipped and his whole aura was washed anew. Yugi had taken over. "Erm, it's kind of an awkward topic for him but before my me and my Other Self really knew each other, Yami would take over whenever I'm in danger. It kind of involves this thing called Shadow Games...that's why Yubel's always cautious of us...it was really bad before..." Yugi closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "But Yami's not like that anymore. What happened back in the manor just reminded him a bit of it."

Yusei then realized why Yami Yugi had been so deeply wounded by Dumbledore's words about using his dark powers to hurt others. Yami had always acted for Yugi's sake, to defend and fight for him like a loyal guardian. To suggest that Yami was acting on selfish reasons was a slap on his face.

"A Shadow Game's dangerous. The loser pays for a certain price or, usually, with his life," Yugi said. For explaining something about dark magic (right after Dumbledore had showed extreme offense to it), he was speaking resolutely, his voice unwavering. "But it is also a way to reveal one's true nature. The Shadow Games are harsh, but perfectly just and fair. And it's not something that we do without consent. When they tried to explain that they came to help us – of course we didn't believe them. They told us to wait because their proof was with Mr. Weasley and we didn't believe that either – so Yami challenged them to a game for them to gain his trust."

"Show me," Dumbledore stated brusquely. It sounded like an order and, after a good deal of explanation, they didn't expect Dumbledore to show interest to this instead. Yugi thought he heard wrong.

"S-show what?"

"This Shadow Game," he said. "Show me and I will believe without further doubt or question."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> To be more accurate, Yusei is the King of Duelists, which is really the more accurate term for Yugi. He was only called King of Games because before the DM season, it was about games, not just duels. But I believe Judai aspired to be KoG like Yugi too so I supposed it was just the term eventually changed as time past by, but still pretty much the same thing.

It was hard for me to write Judai and what exactly his relationship with Yubel is. I just patterned it after what most fanfuc authors view Bakura/Yami Bakura haha.

Yusei was a bit chatty for this chapter especially with Snape. Yes, I think my favorite was his conversation with him. There must be moar of that...


	4. Dumbledore's Game

**Author's Notes:** AFTER SO MUCH EDITING, I did the right decision to delete the one I initially uploaded instantly. Not going into detail why but basically this one's much better. (If you must know, this was the baby of 2 versions. The original + the revised = final chapter) I also accidentally deleted half of the next chapter - basically what I've worked on - but I think I can work on that easily. I'm updating this even without Chp5 ready because it's just a damn achievement for me to get this one right.

If you see any noob errors, just point it out because I was too lazy to get this check on microsoft word.

* * *

><p>IV: Dumbledore's Game<p>

"Didn't you hear what Yugi said?" Judai demanded angrily. Yusei didn't show it but he looked just as angered as Judai in the inside. "You're betting something here – your very soul!"

Yugi didn't reply. Dumbledore merely gazed at the boy, his last words spoken with finality and his stare even more sure.

"Out of respect for the rules of the game, it will not be stopped," Yugi finally said. The two other duelists gaped at Yugi, too stunned to argue.

"Think of this as the same way you've treated Kingsley and the others in the manor," Dumbledore said. "A test of trust."

No one had moved a muscle. Yugi's aura shifted and they knew Yami Yugi took over. Before anyone could speak, Yami Yugi took out his deck and shuffled it. Everyone waited for him to say something. Maybe to make it clear to Dumbledore that a Shadow Game was not something he could just ask for. Any sign or hint that he was going to smarten up. But there was none. The longer the silent, the less convinced the duelists were that Yami was going to change his mind. Yami didn't look remotely pleased with the idea either.

Yusei had a bad feeling about this.

"_The door of darkness has opened,_" Yubel mumbled.

"_What are you talking about?_" Judai asked, looking at the corner of his eyes were Yubel's transparent figure levitated.

"_I have high respect for your friend for his skills,_" Yubel said. "_Indeed he is a worthy duelist, but his spirit hides ancient secrets and I can sense darkness at the corners of his heart. It is only Yugi serving as a balance for the uneven scales."_

Judai heard Yusei cry out and Judai knew why. A dense cover of darkness had wrapped around in a small dome before them. Though they did not know it for sure, it could only be the beginning of the Shadow Game and within the spiraling cloud were the two. Judai had been involved in games betting your very soul, times that made him lose sight of his duel but once, he had the same kind of game like this. A Shadow Game.

Yusei wasn't taking it as well as Judai. Although he held his emotions well, Judai could see the conflict in his face.

"Wasn't Yugi sitting right beside you?" Yusei said anxiously.

Judai looked at the empty chair beside him. "He was," he answered, confused.

"_It wraps even time and space,_" Yubel explained, sounding contented. Her expression then changed. She seemed to have seen something judging by the surprise and mocking amusement in her twisted visage. "_How foolish of him," _she sneered.

"Who?" Judai demanded. Yusei looked at Judai nervously, knowing he was having a conversation with his spirit. When Judai let out a cry of surprise, Yusei didn't think it was anything good.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore remained on his seat, looking at his surroundings intellectually. They were wrapped by complete darkness—no way in, no way out—completely caged. He then turned to the tri-colored boy in front of him, the two of them separated by a desk, a deck of cards on its center.<p>

"Is this you," Dumbledore began, peering at the boy cautiously. "Mr. Motou?"

Yugi nodded with a smile. "Yami didn't like the idea," he said cheerfully. "I can't stand long in this game since I'm neither the opponent or the game master so I hope you're feeling comfortable." Yugi scratched the back of his head, realizing that they were kind of in a dangerous game where the very fabric of reality was torn. "Well, you know what I mean."

"Certainly," Dumbledore said. "Although if I were any Muggle or unknowing wizard, I'm sure you wouldn't have trouble convincing him..." He surveyed the shadows thoughtfully. "There are heavy charms to reinforce will to play. Similar to the Total-Control Curse, the Imperius Curse. Not directly control, but a strong influence...yes, the voice in my head is already telling me to cease my thoughts about my situation and start playing."

"Really?" Yugi asked, bemused. He never knew that the Shadow Game had that sort of stuff..or at least something that could be explained through basic concepts and knowledge. It was really strange having Dumbledore figure some sort of...technicalities.

Dumbledore didn't seem to have heard him. "Let us begin then, Mr. Motou. I suppose your overprotective spirit—which Yusei had briefly mentioned to me—would not like it if I keep you here for too long."

Yugi choked on his laughter.

"Right." Yugi gestured to the deck. "Please draw five cards, Professor."

Yugi drew his hand after Dumbledore did. When Dumbledore had gotten a good look at his hand, a rush of alarm crushed the calm on his face.

"We're going to have a simplified version of dueling," Yugi said. "No magic or traps cards. Just a plain battle. The cards will serve as monster cards but as you can see, they are empty. That's because they serve as gates connecting the living and the dead. Beyond each card is a soul of a loved one."

Yugi waited for Dumbledore to react. He remained silent; Yugi took this as a queue to move on.

"We might not know who is beyond the card, but you can feel it. The bond you have with that soul and maybe you can also hear them..." Yugi stole a look at Dumbledore's face; he was absorbed with what he was seeing. "Each of us will choose a trump card. We set the cards aside, face down-" Yugi did it as he explained. "-the card can be used anytime but if it's defeated, it's an automatic lost. There's no goal in this game and no other terms that will mean defeat."

"It means then that we must play our hands to force the opponent to use his trump card to make it his lost," Dumbledore said, starring distantly at his hand.

"That's right. I'm going first. Draw –" Yugi took a card from the deck. "I summon a soul to the field!" Yugi announced. The moment he did, a white wisp poured out of the card, turning into a dense fog from its overflow. What was hidden in the mist first revealed itself as a silhouette. Its shape became clearer as it darkened as if it were coming closer. The shroud thinned out and vanished to reveal a miniature version of Yugi. Yugi was pleased. No doubt his own soul wanted to be the first to stand before his friends.

"Myself," he said, looking up only to meet Dumbledore's plain reaction. "Nothing surprises you, huh?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "It's not as if it's my first time to see magic. Believe it or not, I've lived as a wizard my whole life," he said, smiling for the first time since the game began. "I feel it only reasonable to dignify your choice of play. Hmm...I do believe it is this card...sounded very pesky. Here is little Albus." Dumbledore summoned himself too. He had first appeared as a silhouette in a self-conjured fog before fully revealing himself.

"From now on, we can declare an attack on another card. Each card can only attack once per turn. Since I did the first turn, I can't declare an attack but it's the second turn now. You can attack if you want," Yugi explained.

"You are welcoming an attack," Dumbledore commented nonchalantly. "On what grounds does the game decide the winner between two souls?"

"Our inner strength," Yugi answered. "What exactly the power of the soul is, we don't know. It is a matter of faith and trust to our bonds." He chuckled, embarrassed. "I kind of went overboard with that rule but I thought it'd make things more exciting."

"Exciting?" Dumbledore said, arching an eyebrow. Behind his twinkling blue eyes was a stormy blizzard.

Yugi raised his hand defensively, realizing his mistake. "Oh! I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean it...like that..." He shrank, trailing off, unable to find his voice.

"Little Albus will attack," Dumbledore said.

Yugi's fingers twitched, a cold bucket of water making him shudder in anticipation. He looked grim.

The card-Dumbledore raised its wand the same way the real Dumbledore would. From the tip of the wood, a blue bolt escaped and shot the card-Yugi in a paralyzing electricity. Card-Yugi crumpled to its feet but something bigger collapsed on the table.

Yugi didn't know if he had been able to tone down his scream. He had set this rule and was ready for it but it was more painful than he anticipated. Immediately he crashed down the desk, twitching uncontrollably from the shock. He did not think that having his card-version hurt would give him such pain; it could only mean that Dumbledore's insanely strong.

"Mr. Motou, this is-!"

"I'm okay," Yugi said, gasping. "It's normal in Shadow Games," he continued, still trying to even his breathing. "The pain I mean. They didn't go through this," Yugi added hastily, seeing the flickering of horror in Dumbledore's face. "Your comrades. I guess I mean the pain is normal in duels..."

"No, I believe you had not," Dumbledore said quietly. He seemed to consider telling Yugi what was on his mind before shaking his head. "Let us resume."

"My turn. We must have exactly five cards at the start of our turn. Since I have three, I can draw two cards." A smile tugged on Yugi's lip. "I'm putting this card face-down. Face-down cards can't attack but their identity isn't revealed until their flipped up or attack. I end my turn."

"You will not attack, Mr. Motou?"

"I don't think I can do anything," Yugi said meekly. "It's something I can't do either way."

"You make yourself an open target," Dumbledore muttered, drawing one card from the deck. The headmaster folded them together and set them aside in a pile. "If it is your battle to defend, then mine is to attack. The tenacity over the hands of time. Indeed, Mr. Motou, it is a battle of wills. However, I have been down this road before - guilt, mistakes, burdens, regrets, shame – but I can tell that you're far too young to understand this. How long will your youthful spirit last?"

"I won't lose." No arrogance or fear.

"Neither would I," Dumbledore replied, nodding. "But if you refuse to attack, the pain will wither your strength."

"No," Yugi said resolutely. "The pain will make me stronger."

"I will continue my attack then."

"You're not going to summon?"

"No."

And he had found a new, profound respect for the headmaster. They held onto their whimsical beliefs, each fighting for a purpose in the Shadow Game, a test of wills. While Yugi faced greater danger from Dumbledore's offensive, Yugi knew the professor was fighting more than one battle. He glanced at the hand he had set aside; was it a sign of abandonment or a mere show of his confidence?

The game was just beginning.

"Forgive me Mr. Motou, but once again, I must attack..."

Yugi hunched forward like he was going to vomit. He managed to hold back his scream this time but he had used most of his strength just for this. He panted heavily, droplets of sweat trickling down his chin.

"My turn," Yugi said, drawing a card. It was out of habit the way he move and spoke when it was his turn. From his etiquette, he emulated in him a true Duelist. "Another card face-down. I end my turn."

Dumbledore looked at Yugi with pity. "I would rather we end this quick, Mr. Motou."

"Don't be overconfident," Yugi argued, slightly crossed. "It's not over 'till it's over!"

But Dumbledore had seen through Yugi easily. "I apologize, Mr. Motou, but for this turn, I would like to attack one of the cards you've set down."

"No!" Yugi cried out, horrified.

The card-Dumbledore shot the card beside card-Yugi. It flipped open at once, a wisp veiling their sight before the figure came out; a boy with dirty blond hair and a pair of angry eyes raised his fist. Unlike Yugi, he looked like he was prepared to fight back, bearing the same stance Yusei had in order to defend himself.

"Jounochi!" Yugi shouted. There was a soft glow on the other card face down. As if reacting to the danger, it flipped itself open and the figure from the card intercepted the spell. There appeared to be no harm done as the newly revealed figure from the card raised a thumbs-up to the two others on the field. Weakly, Yugi smiled. "Honda..."

"It's three versus one now," Yugi said. "Thank you, Jounochi, Honda...draw!" Yugi made a brief pause as he scanned his cards. He looked up and said, "I end my turn."

Still not summoning another card, Dumbledore resumed to attack, aiming at the card-Yugi again. But his friends clenched their fists, a mysterious light outlining their figures, and this new-found empowerment caused Dumbledore's attack to split, completely missing Yugi but hitting Jounochi and Honda separately instead. Their figures cried in pain, no sound coming out from their mouths. Yugi gritted his teeth, receiving minimal pain but Dumbledore knew more.

"To see your loved ones in pain causes a much more terrible pain," the wizard said, pensively looking at Yugi.

Yugi winced at some pain that subsided at his side. "Is that why you refuse to summon another soul?" Yugi asked.

"I am more than enough," Dumbledore answered. Before Yugi could ask again, he pointed out, "it is your turn."

"You're making a mistake," Yugi mumbled. When it was his turn, the card at the top of the deck glowed. Card-Yugi was glowing too.

"With my two friends on the field, I'm able to draw a card even if I have five on my hand," Yugi said. When he drew, Yugi did that pause again before ending his turn without declaring an attack again.

It was obvious Yugi had a plan, a plan that would turn the tide of the battle. The only way to counter this was to stop Yugi to pursue his plan, to weaken him, and to make him give up. But at the same time, Yugi's defensive maneuver was setting Dumbledore on his wits. He wasn't particularly fond of Little Albus blasting curses after all. More importantly, every minute, Dumbledore was tempted...if he doesn't end this soon...

But as their hearts beat like ticking clocks, the gap between their strengths widened. Yugi had been unable to hold onto the guilt gnawing him, watching his friends suffer in his stead. He was losing his cool, his emotions becoming more unstable. He'd draw the next card with less gentleness and look at it with bitter disappointment, mumbling with a strained voice "end of turn." Dumbledore had been very quiet for the following turns. He appeared to be immerse in his thoughts but it didn't seem to be something related to the game. Since the start of the duel, something about the wizard had made him uninterested and distant to the game.

Finally, one of them broke.

"I can't do it," Yugi despaired, holding back tears as his entire being shook. With teeth gritted, he shut his eyes and turned his head away, shamed. For a couple of times, he tried to work the words out of his mouth. "End of turn!" he shouted, frustrated.

Yugi can't believe it. He can't accept it—accept himself! So weak and useless...why can't he be like his Other Self? Why can't he have the power to move through the thorny path, each prick making his drive even stronger? Why does he fall down so easily? Jounochi and Honda have suffered for him so much and they trusted him...him, not Yami Yugi.

He breathed in sharply, shuddering. He refused to cry. It can't be over.

"Mr. Motou..."

"You don't understand!" Yugi yelled, unable to look at Dumbledore's face. "I-I can't..." He held back a sob, trembling. He can't be like this, he told himself, mentally beating himself up. Face it!

Yugi swallowed, finally looking up. All his tears were lost at what had transpired. Not out of joy, but of shock. Yugi gaped, a good imitation of a goldfish. "You...you summoned a soul."

Beside Little Albus was a youth with golden blond hair and a wild, cheery disposition that reminded Yugi of Jounochi. Dumbledore didn't seem to have heard Yugi again as he gave the image a penetrating gaze...of woe? Anger? Regret? Yugi couldn't quite tell but Dumbledore was, at most, conflicted.

Without warning, Little Albus took out his wand, a blazing fury inundating his mask. The youth was much faster; he did a peculiar flick with his wand and blasted Little Albus aside. Dumbledore jumped in pain. Though he did not give out a scream, his mouth was left hanging open from the shock for a few seconds.

"W-why?" Yugi asked, baffled. "You finally summoned a-and this..."

"Gellert Grindelwald and I were good friends," Dumbledore answered, his gaze still distant. "Perhaps it is not meant for us two to be together. Why, you ask? I have stopped wondering..."

Yugi stared at Dumbledore. Could he be...?

"Draw." Yugi drew the next card and analyzed Dumbledore's face. He hadn't noticed it earlier but Dumbledore may just be in a state as bad as Yugi's...probably even worse. He tried too hard to hide it—to not reveal his weakness. Yugi's eyes lighted up. So that was it! "End of turn!"

For so long, Dumbledore stared at the deck. Yugi took this as the opportunity to close the curtains...with Dumbledore losing.

"There's someone you wanted to see."

Dumbledore closed his heavy eyelids, a heavy sigh echoing. "You saw it."

"Just now," Yugi admitted. "I was getting too frustrated that I didn't see. You were suffering just as bad."

"Since the beginning," he confirmed.

"It's not Gellert Grindelwald, is it?"

"No." Dumbledore looked at the deck longingly. "I had the impression you were trying to do the same thing, Mr. Motou."

"Kind of," he answered evasively. "It's...it's not the same. I told you - Dumbledore – that I'm weak. I know I can't do anything by myself that's why I called to my friends to help me. I'm not ashamed to ask for their help. I'm just ashamed that I can't honor their sacrifices a-and that I wavered. I thought of backing down! I can't forgive myself!"

"For you, you need only to prove yourself for forgiveness," Dumbledore murmured as he drew a card; his arm trembling. The blast from his own summoned soul have shook him much more than Yugi thought. "For this old fool..." His eyes fell sadly at the card, his forehead creased as a single tear dropped from his eye.

Slowly, Dumbledore picked up his cards and painfully, Yugi was reminded of a child picking golden pieces of a puzzle up as he watched. Dumbledore held them with his two hands, starring at his prized possessions with despair and greed.

"I'm going to end this now, Dumbledore..." Yugi said softly.

"No, don't, they're finally here!" Dumbledore cried out.

But Yugi did not listen. "I open my trump card—Yami Yugi. With Yugi, Jounochi, and Honda on the field and the five pieces of the Sennen Puzzle in my hand, I can summon my Other Self on the field!"

Yugi set the five glowing cards down, each of them materializing as a puzzle piece. Once all five were set, the pieces disappeared into a misty whirlpool.

"The pieces of the puzzle were difficult to put together. Without my friends, I would have never been able to put it together...we went through a lot of pain for this, for this friendship. There is nothing I know I can do alone - we all can't!"

The golden pieces connected, forming the same pyramid that hung around Yugi's neck. Card-Yugi exploded in light, the transformation blinding Dumbledore. When the light was gone, fear gripped the old man's heart. The regal Yami now stood right where the card-Yugi was. Even in his miniature version, he expunged a mighty presence, both striking reverence and terror...almost like the Dark Lord...

"For each card in my hand, Yami's strength increases tenfold!" All the cards in his hands glowed. Behind Yugi, Dumbledore could see the silhouettes of people – friends and family – supporting him, their whispers forming a hymn that pushed away the pain in the past. An empty void whirled in Dumbledore's chest.

The man before Dumbledore changed. Instead of Yugi, there was the real Yami.

"Are you not going to use your trump card, Dumbledore?" Yami asked. "Neither you nor Yugi have followed the way the Shadow Game was hoping for. Yugi sought the path of pacifism; he refused to attack at all cost, only to counter-attack to defend himself. You sought the path of martyrdom, pushing away your loved ones to bear the burden by yourself. But you summoned your friend, drew a card to see the dead...use your trump card, Dumbledore. Fight until the end. Yugi and I refuse to have you lose like this."

Dumbledore spread his hand in front of him. One by one, they glowed. Yami's eyes widened.

"You must be mistaken if you thought I had no plan," he muttered, watching each card pour out wisps. "I needed a card to complete my hand. I wasn't waiting for it however...I knew it would come the moment I draw from the deck. It was waiting for me. I wasn't ready."

"But you're too late," Yami said.

"Indeed," Dumbledore whispered, smiling wearily. Little Albus, who was reflecting the state of Dumbledore's heart, had slumped down, slowly fading. Dumbledore had become too weak.

"Your relentless attack made your resolve weaker each turn while the pain made Yugi stronger," Yami Yugi said. "But if you had caught Yugi while in his distress, you might have made him play his trump card earlier."

The glowing cards coiled together the same way the puzzle pieces did. It formed a large, swirling cloud that surrounded the frail, slumping image of Little Albus. Four silhouettes could be seen, the first to come was being a little girl with long, flowing blond hair in a pretty blue dress.

"Ariana, you never did like me, your brother who was never at home. He was too preoccupied to gather all the glory he could. He was greedy, a big liar just as your brother told you...ah...here he is..."

The next that came out was kind of like Dumbledore – probably his brother - but he scowled on the card-Dumbledore, showing no fond or sentimental gestures. He had a beard that made him look like a goat.

"But you're here, Aberforth. You're here..."

The last two appeared right when the mist vanished. One was a woman with a snobbish, raised chin and sharp-looking eyes; Dumbledore's mother and the other was his father who shared the blue, twinkling eyes the old wizard had been recognized with.

"You loved us dearly, Mother...but ah...you made the same mistake as I am making..." When Dumbledore looked over at his father, real sadness washed over him. Yami then knew this was the card Dumbledore wasn't ready for. The card that was waiting for him. "Forgive me, Father. Forgive your son..."

The images huddled around Dumbledore's card, whispering words Yugi could not hear. They took the old man's hand, hugged him, kissed him; they pulled him up, carried him up along with the weight of both his burden and sin. The real Dumbledore watched them, not at all unfazed at the strangeness of this event but seemed to feel that this was but another day in his life. He took into detail how they tried to talk to his card version, probably convincing him to fight back. He only felt weakened to see them – for once – together as a whole and being at his side when he had been too late to be at theirs. But Dumbledore knew that this weakness was only temporary – he would become stronger than ever before...even more powerful than the adversary before him...

But it was too late indeed. They faded out, their existence only a mere ghost of Dumbledore's longings.

Yugi had taken control once more. The Eye of Horus appeared on card-Yami's forehead.

"It seems you are wrong," Dumbledore whispered, leaning back tiredly. "I will not lose."

"I know," he said. "I was wrong. You'll never use your trump card. It was impossible for you to lose."

"For two reasons. As you had probably guessed, the trump card is my weakness. I refuse to set him in the battlefield where he will hurt himself and others and where he will face pain. Unlike you, Yugi, I will not last long a single turn with him hurt. So do not beat yourself up for wavering. Perhaps it was a mistake, I will never know."

"It's the second one, Professor, that I guessed right," Yugi said pleasantly. "He was never your trump card in the first place."

A slow smile cracked through the wizard's hard features.

"He wasn't for you to use," Yugi continued. "He's not the one to win this battle...he's your hope; the one to win the war. As long as he's left there, hope will always exist."

"That is correct, Yugi...we have finally reached a conclusion but alas there's something I do not understand...why, my boy, why are you crying for?"

Yugi laughed as rivers of tears flowed down his cheeks. "I'm just very sad!" he claimed. "And at the same time happy. It was a beautiful game – and – I guess I realized something!"

"Oh?" Dumbledore mused aloud, resting his eyes.

"Ye-yeah!" Yugi held his breath as emotions bowled over him like tidal waves. He broke into such an embarrassing state that Yugi was glad Dumbledore was not looking. The puzzle that hang around his neck glistened from the salty tears, Yami Yugi never hearing Yugi's last, spoken words to Dumbledore as he cried out.

Just as the card-version of Dumbledore's family had faded, the box collected back the pieces of the Sennen Puzzle, card-Yami too disappearing into the passing wind within the depths of the shadows. The table was clear of images and cards, emptiness even more profound.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's EditNotes:** Taking note of the possible confusion, here's a quick run-down on the game. The game's really something spiritual/psychological although I don't claim to be an expert on those.

RULES:

1. Must have exactly five cards at the start of the turn

2. Each card/soul can only attack once per turn (similar to dueling)

3. Pain will be inflicted on the player if the soul is harmed (like all other Shadow Games)

4. Trump cards can be used any time but if defeated, the player will lose.

5. The power of a card depends on the "bonds" of the player to that soul. (Thus the effect Jounochi/Honda had, and Grindelwald's reaction with Little Albus). To card-Yugi and Little Albus, they reflect the state of their respective players. None of the players really know the effects of each card.

I guess this chapter is very different from the previous ones xD It doesn't make much sense if you look at it as a spectator's point of view. My only suggestion is you look at the way each character behaves. As Yugi said, Shadow Games reveal everything about ourselves. If you look at Yugi's situation, it's actually nothing new. Cookies for those who are able to connect the dots xD Dumbledore's is actually pretty easy to guess but not a lot of crossover authors seem to pay attention to him.

Here's a list of test questions! (because I'm such a nerd!)

1. Who is Dumbledore's trump card?

2. What YGO season and episode was Yugi's situation parallel to?

3. What YGO season is the "pain makes us stronger" theme related to? (And who? Bwahahaha)


	5. The Beginning

**Author's Notes:** Fastest update! EVER! Like...I've updated today. Wrote Chapter 5 today. Updated Chapter 5 today! PREPARE FOR NOOB MISTAKES (I really need a beta-reader D:)

* * *

><p>V: The Beginning<p>

The need to eat caused him to stir nauseatingly.

Yugi did not want to wake up yet. His head was fuzzy and exhausted and his back burned from fatigue. It was the growling of his stomach, the dire need to eat, that made him restless. He could just smell the waft of cinnamon rolls from his hunger...

Yugi's eyes snapped, realizing someone was munching loudly just beside him. "Judai, why the heck are you eating cinnamon rolls?"

"Was hungry," he said. "Want some?"

"I could eat a horse!" Yugi said, relieved as he grabbed the bread. "Where are we anyway?"

"School clinic," Judai answered, handing Yugi a piece of parchment. "A message from Yusei."

Yugi's eyebrows rose, surprised. "Wow, that's so thoughtful—"

Stay.

-Yusei

"Well," Yugi said slowly, starring at the parchment. "I guess each letter from Yusei is like a picture. It's worth a thousand words."

"Nice one," Judai snickered. "So how are you feeling, Yugi?"

"I'm fine. Just hungry," he sighed. "Still tired though. But you don't have to go," Yugi said hastily.

Judai shrugged. "Yusei asked me to stick around anyway. Not that I minded."

Yugi noticed that Judai seemed a little less silly and cheerful as usual. Remembering Yubel, Yugi felt rather uneasy. "Did something happen?"

"Just you and the old guy fainting!" Judai said sarcastically. "Definitely nothing to worry about."

"Sorry."

"Naw, it's okay. Here, some guy brought down Spanish bread..." Judai said, pulling out a basket of bread rolls. After that though Judai was marginally happier.

"So what happened while I was out?" Yugi asked, taking a bite on his bread, its creamy cheese making him gallop in the inside.

"They were mad at us at first," Judai recounted. "Y'know, blaming us for doing something on the old man. He was only unconscious for a while though but before that, this guy—really greasy hair—was calling you some spy and then, I don't know, but he looked at me and he got really worse." Judai grinned dreamily. "You should have been there. Yusei was talking back!"

"Really?" Yugi said excitedly like he just heard a juicy gossip. "What did he say?"

Judai cleared his throat and frowned his eyebrows to do an eerily accurate imitation of the duelist, complete with the balled fist. "'How low can you sink? First you accuse a kid who can't defend himself and now you're speaking badly of Judai who's exactly in this room! Who do you think you are to spout horrible things about my friends-?' Something like that. I'm glad he did that anyway. Yubel was about to make it worse." Judai glanced at the Sennen Puzzle on the table. "How'd Yami take it?"

"He didn't like it," Yugi said, glancing at the puzzle. Yugi guessed Yubel must have noticed it was him who led the Shadow Game, not Yami, and had told Judai and Yusei. "But I haven't talked to him since the game began."

"You should. He must be worried."

Yugi pursed his lips, hesitantly averting his eyes and pretending to be busy eating. When the room fell oddly quiet, Yugi knew his friend wasn't fooled.

"What happened in the game?" Judai asked quietly.

Yugi stared at the sheet on his lap, eating the bread mechanically to fill his empty stomach. He didn't know how long he had spaced out because Judai held on to the silence. There was no kind of pressure that suffocated Yugi while Judai patiently waited until he was ready; Yugi felt grateful to his fellow duelist.

"What does it feel like, um..." Yugi struggled for the right words. "To...be, well, merged with another spirit?"

It was Judai's turn to be quiet but it was Yugi who still couldn't look at him in the eye.

"I mean...what does Yubel feel about it?"

"Happy," Judai answered.

"And you?" Yugi asked carefully.

"No regrets," he said casually but Yugi saw how Judai tried hard to keep his face blank. "Do you want to duel?"

"Sure," Yugi said, feeling like dueling all of a sudden. "Here. I'll move on the other side so we could play."

After shuffling each one's deck, drawing cards, and summoning their first monsters, Judai opened the discussion.

"Are you thinking about doing the same with Yami?" Judai asked, polymerizing his two heroes.

"I did," Yugi admitted hesitantly. "But it seems wrong. I...Yami wants to get his memories back and I know he wants to be with others. People waiting for him..." He remembered his Shadow Game with Dumbledore. If Yami had been playing the game, would he happen to meet his "real" friends? The time before he lost his memories?

"You should ask him."

"I'll just make him feel bad," Yugi said, equipping a magic card to his Dark Magician. Yugi knew Judai couldn't really understand what was behind Yugi's questions because he was holding back. He couldn't say it aloud. Since the Shadow Game, he had realized that Yami cannot possibly be in the Puzzle forever. Someday, perhaps when Yami have his wish, he would be gone... "I want him to make the decision all by himself."

Judai's eyes flickered to Yugi before getting back to the game. "It's pretty fishy if you ask me. For me and Yusei, this thing that pulled us together is really sudden. He settling down as a scientist and me getting in the dueling world...but you're not done yet. You've still got something to do but you got into this mess."

"You're saying this might have something to do with Yami's fate," Yugi said, his hand resting on his deck. Dumbledore held onto the memories of his family. They came to him but the dead can't stay...they will all pass. Yami will... "Maybe. But one thing's for sure. We'll be staying in the magical world for a long while. Dumbledore's a good man. We can trust him."

The door opened. They turned and saw Yusei striding to Yugi's bed. Both their eyes widened into marbles.

Judai scanned Yusei from head to toe. "Uh, bro."

Yugi couldn't blame Judai for being dumbfounded. Yusei looked completely different without his usual clothes. He was wearing similar robes the other wizards were wearing except his was navy blue and his collar stood out reminiscent of his jacket. He kept his armbands just above his elbow, making his sleeves flow into inverted cones.

"Please tell me you're wearing something underneath."

"No. I like the breeze," Yusei said monotonously. "Just kidding." To prove this, Yusei pulled his robes up and indeed he was wearing pants.

"That is so erotic," Yugi groaned, covering his face with his hand.

"You'll be wearing them too," Yusei told them, not at all abashed by Yugi's comment.

"Really?" the King of Games said, taking a good look at Yusei's robes. Well, they're not that bad...

"What's erotic?" Judai asked, frowning.

"I wonder," Yusei said, shrugging coolly. "I'm sure Yugi knows."

"-_-"

"Here," he said, tossing them two robes. "We'll have to get down for the Leaving Feast. It's the last day of school."

Once they've worn their robes (Judai wearing maroon robes and Yugi a dark purple one) they headed downstairs and walked past empty corridors.

"Sorry for the trouble," Yugi said to Yusei. "You probably had to sort through the wizards."

"I'm used to dealing with authorities," Yusei said, showing his trademark slight smile albeit mischievously. "So Dumbledore's someone we can trust?"

"Yeah," Yugi said, nodding. "He was one of the best opponents Yami and I ever had."

"Wow, that's a lot coming from you two," Judai said in awe.

"Yugi," Yusei said, "I know you just got up but could you tell me the rest of the story in the manor?"

Yugi frowned. "Didn't Judai explain?"

"He told me an abridged version."

"What did you tell him?" Yugi asked suspiciously.

"Something about the guy without underpants. You know, badly," Judai answered, grinning.

"Juda, how did you know he wasn't wearing boxers?" Yugi asked faintly.

Yusei nodded. "Exactly."

"I better explain," Yugi said hastily when Judai was about to elaborate. "Voldemort came while we were in the middle of the Shadow Game. It was Mr. Weasley and Judai fending them off. They didn't see our faces but I'm sure they know Mr. Weasley and the others."

"You fought a group of a wizards?" Yusei asked Judai, amazed.

"I guess I have some power because of Yubel," Judai said though he was unsure himself. "Yugi has too but that's only useful during games."

"And the Curse of Dragon?" They climbed down the stairs, Judai warning Yugi of the vanishing step.

"I summoned it," Yugi said, leaping over the step Judai warned him. "When the Shadow Game was over, everyone was shaken but they still fought back. They tried having us to Apparate – the spell to teleport – but something was blocking it. They said an anti-apparition enchantment was cast on the whole manor. We were in a rush so I summoned Curse of Dragon to escape. It caught them off-guard for a while but they almost threw us off. Judai helped me keep up Curse of Dragon and - you saw how it's still around – Judai did a really good job on it."

"Amazing, huh?" Judai bragged, pounding his chest.

"I guess," Yusei agreed, frowning. Was it really Yubel or was Judai something else...? "We're here."

They didn't need to be told as the noise from the Great Hall entered their ears and the scent of dinner enchanting their senses. Yusei led the way, Judai following, and Yugi slightly anxious as he fall behind. What would a bunch of wizard students say once they see them? Yugi was never comfortable with attention. He looked at his fellow duelists; Yusei was plain indifferent and Judai even looked excited.

When they entered, most of the students gave them a glance but it wasn't as bad as Yugi thought. Some of them studied them from afar, whispering to their neighbors but the general student body ignored them. Yugi supposed it was because they stood out less with the robes but they were still new faces, judging by the suspicious stares they were getting.

"I'll introduce you to Harry Potter," Yusei said, leading them to a long table where the banner of a lion was. They past a number of students before they got a call.

"Yusei, here!"

A scrawny boy with emerald eyes and glasses waved to them. A couple of heads turned to the boy then to the three duelists. There was a couple of murmur.

"Ignore them," Yusei said as they approached the boy. "This is Harry Potter. Harry, these are my friends, Yugi and Judai."

"Hey," he greeted. Harry was almost as scrawny as Yugi except he had the same brooding eyes as Judai whenever Judai was thoughtful. "Glad to see you're okay. This is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

Hermione had been trying to make some space before smiling awkwardly to them, particularly at Yusei who didn't even notice.

"All right, free food!" Judai cheered, squeezing between two affronted students.

"Go ahead, Yugi," Yusei said kindly, offering the space Hermione made.

Yugi looked like he wanted to wham a bat on his head. "No, you should sit down."

"I'm going to take a brief walk."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Yusei, that's what happened the _last_ time."

"I'll be around," Yusei said, smirking. "I have to hear the professor's announcement." He walked away before he could argue.

"Sorry about that," Yugi said apologetically to Hermione after taking Yusei's seat.

"Oh! It was nothing like that," Hermione said, crimson in the face. She quietly ate her food but disappointed.

"Nice conversation we had with him," Ron grunted, eying at Yusei's back.

"I think he's pretty cool," a boy around Harry's age commented. He had chocolate skin and dark, cropped, curly hair. "He has that air, you know."

Distinctly reminded of Judai by the way the boy talked, Yugi introduced himself to him. "Yugi Motou."

"Dean Thomas," Dean said, offering his hand just when Yugi was about to bow. Dean laughed. "Woops, sorry -" Dean bowed.

"Could you be a foreigner?" an Irish boy beside Dean asked. That had caught the attention of the other students at the table.

"I guess so," Yugi said. He noticed that there was a black drape over the staff table and the woe on the faces from some students. "Did something happen?"

Harry and the others had gone quiet.

Judai slammed the table with his fist, making everyone jump. "It's that Voldemort! Yusei told me that he killed Cedric and he almost got Harry and him!" he growled. "If I see that naked snake-man again-"

"You said his name!" Ron mouthed breathlessly.

"Diggory was killed?" one of the students gasped, terrified. "Harry, is this true -?"

Harry turned away just as several pairs of eyes landed on him.

All the suspicions and theories ended when Dumbledore rose from his seat. The Great Hall had gone very still and quiet.

"The end," Dumbledore said, inspecting the entire room, "of another year." He made a pause to gesture at another table where the banner of a badger hung. The students over that table were even whiter and depressed compared to the others. "There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here," he gestured to the same table, "enjoying our feasts with us."

Judai turned to an empty space in the said table. Although he had no way of even knowing he felt that Cedric Diggory used to sat there but now only his ghost remained.

"I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory," Dumbledore said.

Everyone followed wordlessly; the benches made one, loud, scraping noise as they moved, goblets on their hands. As they said the name "Cedric Diggory" in a hollow echo, a booming voice shook the entire Great Hall into heads turning restlessly around.

"Cedric Diggory!"

They turned to where the voice came from; Yusei was standing near the grand door, his arms crossed. Having every being in the immense room gawk at Yusei did not faze him. Instead he welcomed the directed attention.

"A comrade of yours had died valiantly," Yusei said, uncrossing his arms and raising a fist to them, "he died in battle on the hands of your common enemy, Voldemort!" Everyone cringed. "Remember him always so as to honor his death, the death of a warrior, of a friend! Don't say his name like he had died _for nothing _because death will not be the last of Cedric—he will be in our hearts...so speak of his name only with bravery and strength because Cedric Diggory died a warrior's death!" Yusei threw a fist in the air. "Cedric Diggory!"

There was a chorus of a loud chant, some unsure to follow.

"Cedric Diggory!" Yusei roared again.

"Cedric Diggory!" the whole Great Hall repeated, volumes louder.

But Yusei hadn't stopped. "Cedric Diggory!"

"CEDRIC DIGGORY!" Yugi and Judai joined, forgetting their goblets and throwing a balled fist in the air.

"Cedric Diggory!" one of Ron's brothers shouted, his glasses almost slipping down his nose bridge.

Harry was rather amazed by the chain reaction although he was one of those who had joined the shouting. Everyone around him seemed suddenly more empathetic and none of them (Slytherin table exempted) were giving Harry dark looks. For some reason, Hermione gave him a quick hug and so did other Gryffindor girls. The students burst into shouts and cries, the majority just cheering for the school spirit. There were girls who had exploded into sobs and were hugging each other, like how Harry had been hugged, much to his confusion, especially in the Hufflepuff table. Fred and George were making noises with table utensils like they were possessed.

Yusei nodded approvingly at the noise. Forget about order and etiquette. These students were holding something back inside. They had to let it out...let others know their pain. He saw Harry glanced at him and Yusei gave him a thumbs-up. Yes, no one was alone.

Dumbledore had let the noise erupt for several minutes and he too seemed to approve. The teachers with him all looked relieved to see the Great Hall in the state of what it used to be—noisy, disorganized, moving—although in any other occasion, this would be a teacher's nightmare.

At last, perhaps when the students had gone tired, Harry included, Dumbledore raised his hand to silence them. It took a couple of seconds for the students to settle down again. There were more students who were teary-eyed but Yusei had sparked fire in them. He pulled out their strength.

"To truly honor Cedric Diggory's death," Dumbledore said, "you must know how he had died. I will only repeat what Yusei Fudo had said. Cedric Diggory was killed by Lord Voldemort."

There were murmurs from the student body but it was more controlled than Harry had expected. Having heard it said twice must have decreased the shock effect. In addition, when Yusei had first said it, they had already erupted into loud noises to even distinguish what they were all saying. Most of the students were still flurried but had some reservation left, searching Dumbledore's eyes for answers, explanations; and, perhaps, hoping to tell them it wasn't true.

"The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory.

"There is someone else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death. I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

Harry went still in his spot. He didn't have Yusei's charisma or gallantry to face all those eyes. Fortunately, they all went back to Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He, along with Yusei, risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever known in facing Lord Voldemort. Yusei, if you would." Dumbledore gestured to the young man.

Yusei nodded, turning to face the crowd that were listening to him once more. "I was there when Harry faced Voldemort," he said quietly. "I can see it in your faces. You don't believe Professor Dumbledore, not Harry, not me. You're shocked, scared, angry; I understand. But I won't let any of you deny Cedric's death or Harry's courage." Yusei searched for Harry's head in the crowd; he gave him a smile again. "Let us honor Harry." But instead of the thundering roar he had used on Cedric that excited everyone or the mighty fist Yusei threw that they all were anticipating, Yusei merely nodded. "To Harry Potter."

"To Harry Potter," the students followed in the same placid tone, their chorus mixed with chuckles, some of them imitating Yusei's sober nod and expression.

"Blimey Harry, it's like you were the one who died," Ron said as they sat down, clapping for Yusei. Harry and the others exploded in laughter.

Once seated, the students all expectantly looked up at Dumbledore, who wasn't done yet. He resumed his speech about the Triwizard Tournament and the foreign schools (explaining the mixture of other robes), about unity and camaraderie. Both Yusei and Judai thought Yugi was more than right about Dumbledore's trustworthiness. After all as duelists they respected friendship above else but honor.

"Before we depart to our own ways, I would like to acknowledge our amicable guests in our midst," Dumbledore said. "The students from Beauxbatons and their Headmistress, Madame Maxine," they clapped appreciatively, "the students from Durmstrang and, though he is not with us right, their Headmaster, Karkaroff." There was a dull clapping, a few rather curious of what Dumbledore pointed out about the Karkaroff. "And of course, the young trio, Yugi Motou, Judai Yuki, Yusei Fudo," Dumbledore said, the three of them standing up on the call. They exchanged inquisitive glances, not expecting Dumbledore to call them, "our unexpected visitors from an alternate universe."

* * *

><p>The duelists were finally gathered together in Dumbledore's office. Behind him were the other professors like McGonagall and Snape, and his other comrades like Kingsley Shacklebolt from Voldemort's manor. Although Yugi, Judai, and Yusei knew nothing of the wizard world they could tell the group here right now was Dumbledore's organized force, his most trusted.<p>

"I have given those concerned my word," Dumbledore said. "Now we must take action unless the three of you have any questions."

"Nope," Judai said. "Just maybe what you have in mind."

"I have first thought of sending you abroad," Dumbledore said. "With Voldemort returning, I have no desire for the three of you to be involved. However, Lord Voldemort is not one to forget easily. He will track you down even if it meant risking leaving the country and I fear that once abroad, I would not be able to easily lend a hand again."

"We got involved in this the moment we appeared in the graveyard," Yusei said. "We understand."

"The next option, of course, is to give you the necessary protections. Yusei in particular needs it because Lord Voldemort had seen him and have defied him completely. This, in effect, puts his friends in danger even though they had managed to remain unseen in the battle in the Riddle Manor. The Ministry is not interested in my claim so they would not be very understanding of your situation. Guilty by association." He smiled wryly. "I would like to hear your opinion on this matter. Would you three be willing to accept our help?"

The three of them exchanged a glance; they nodded in understanding.

"The question is," Yusei began, "would you be willing to accept ours?"

"Your help?" Dumbledore asked, frowning. The other wizards and witch in the room were as confused and surprised.

"We won't let you have all the burden, Dumbledore," Yugi said, speaking to him as if they knew each other on a personal level. "We want to help."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "You are far too young..."

"I am of age," Yusei offered. "I've turned twenty months ago and I've faced dangers where my life is at stake before."

"We believe your claim, Mr. Fudo and we would be glad to accept your service," McGonagall said, her forehead creased. "But as for your friends they are obviously underage."

"How old are you two?" Dumbledore asked.

"Fifteen," they answered.

"Fifteen!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed. "Underage is an understatement! They're the same age as Ron!"

"How about me then?" Yugi spoke, crossing his legs. There was a radical change in his demeanor. This was obviously Yami Yugi. "Three thousand years old."

Judai tried not to laugh.

"No, Yugi, that does not count," Dumbledore said, his lips twitching. "We feel accepting Yusei's help is more than enough our wizardly pride can take. We will not let you two more into the war."

Yami looked mutinous and Judai was about to protest when Yusei interrupted him.

"I agree with Professor Dumbledore," Yusei said, putting a hand on Judai's shoulder. "You guys are too young."

Judai jumped on his feet. "So this is how it's gonna go?"

"What?" Yusei blinked.

"A duel!" Judai exclaimed, pointing a finger at Yusei. "That's how we settle this!"

"No," Yusei insisted. "I don't want to risk it, not especially if I'm going against Yugi. This isn't something about dueling!"

"Are you trying to protect us, Yusei?" Yami asked.

"Yami, c'mon, tell Yusei to stop acting like our mom," Judai said, glad to know that Yami was at his side.

Yami and Yusei eyed each other intently. They were usually in the same line of thought and matched each other intellectually, Yusei above only by a hair. Both of them also found Judai annoying at first, which was an inside joke in the group. Yami was honestly not as eager as to help because he feared Yugi's safety but now that Yusei had jumped in, he certainly have no second thoughts of doing the same.

"All three of us can't be risking our neck out there," Yusei said seriously, knowing Yami was about to disagree. "The two of you are our only chance of coming back." Yusei crossed his fingers. If they thought he was hard to read, Yami was even harder. "We'll be fighting together, I promise."

"Hm." He paused, considering. "Just in different methods," Yami finished.

Judai gaped. "Yami, you can't be—"

"You heard your grandfather," Yusei teased, "no joining any wars."

"No fair!" Judai said, crossing his arms. "You two are always together on this."

"We've made a common enemy," Yami joked, looking at Judai.

"Hmph," Judai grunted, sitting down.

"There's one more thing we'd like to ask," Yusei said to Dumbledore. "We want to get back to our own time. Yugi and Judai have powers that can surely help us but none of them are quite sure how. If you could lend us your knowledge..."

"Then this matter is as good as solved," Dumbledore said, beaming, "for I have thought, to protect Mr. Motou and Mr. Yuki, to invite them in a place where Voldemort could not possibly lay a finger on them and, at the same time, hone their magical skills. Ah, since you are the one of age between the three of you, you are technically their guardian. Yusei, would you let these two study in Hogwarts?"

"Yes." Yusei tried not to smile, seeing Yami's and Judai's reaction. "Unless my little angels are against it."

"Tsk, that's just gross," Judai said. "Just 'cause you're the oldest, doesn't mean you're in charge."

"I think it'd be cool," Yugi said excitedly, having just taken over. "It's just like something from a game!"

"I guess that's one way of looking at it," Judai said thoughtfully. He grinned happily. "Well! If I'm going to be with Yugi, it can't be that bad! Imagine what cool spells we'll learn and do a thing or two to our 'legal guardian.'"

Yusei laughed. "I'm right here, Judai. And the first thing I'm going to do as your 'legal guardian' is to cut off your allowance."

"Whaaaat?"

"Naturally, for your services, you would be paid," Dumbledore said but Yusei shook his head.

"That's very considerate of you, Professor but I can earn money on my own," Yusei said. "Not right now though. It would all be borrowed money for now. We can't be dependent on you on the long run, not if I'm the one in charge."

"What could a trespasser like you possibly do to earn a single Knut?" Snape said dryly.

But Yusei flatly ignored Snape. ("That's the greasy guy," Judai whispered to Yugi, looking pointedly at Snape.) "Do you have a place where we can stay for the time being, professor?"

"It's part of your full-time service," Dumbledore said. "There will be legal matters to take care of first."

"Oh, I get it," Judai said. "Adult business. C'mon Yugi, let's get outta here before they bore us to death."

When the two of them left, Yusei sighed heavily.

"What an interesting turn of events," Kingsley remarked, breaking the silence.

"I agree," Yusei said, smirking. He couldn't imagine Aki's reaction if she discovered he had just technically adopted two kids. More importantly they were going to attend a magical school.

As for the battle against Voldemort, what will come will come in due time. They would just have to meet their fate straight on like a real duelist and believe in their bonds to transcend even time and space.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> MY HANDS HURT. I updated this really quickly because this would end the prologue/GoF arc. The real story begins in the next chapters xD I really want to take a break writing this but well I'm on a roll?

I've been watching YGO 5D's too and I must say that I like it even better than the original series. YGO is awesome but it obviously falls with the generic sidekick/useless cheering squad group (srsly Jounochi sucks at dueling lol). YGO 5D's has an AMAZING cast especially the lovable main characters. Someone told me that it went downhill past episode 60 so I'm still reserving my opinion. And that's the episode I'm downloading now.

At this rate, I might end up watching GX...but you know, I've watched it before and srsly it's just terrible (SPORTS-THEME DECK = ASUKA SUCKS, AKI IS WIN). Only guy I like there in Fubuki. And have you heard its op/end songs? Even the Japanese version is horrible.

Don't use the review button to reply on my AN. Hope you had fun reading.

**Author's Edit:** May 17, 2011 - seems like I got Judai's age wrong thanks to a reviewer xD I realized Judai actually graduated haha. Well for the sake of the plot, let's keep him at age 15 :P I wouldn't mind having Judai be 17 but I think it'd be better to have him stick to school.


	6. Brimming Premonition

**Author's Notes:** I guess the fact I'm watching YGO 5D's for the past weeks is my drive for this fanfic. The lack of crossovers in the YGO universe is making me sad too. Fans of the original YGO should pay attention to its sequels :( I suggest reading the YGO GX MANGA (which is authored by our beloved Takahashi!) and watching YGO 5D's (which is aimed at an older audience! And has fillers that are actually amusing!)

Regarding certain changes. Since GX is not exactly my cup of tea and I've interpreted things differently, Judai's relationship with Yubel will remain semi-hostile. Although I get the part where he's forgiven her and everything (OH NO SPOILERS) I need something to make his situation different from Yugi and Yami who have that host/spirit relationship too.

I'm still looking for a beta-reader to clean up noob grammar mistakes xD

Lastly, for those who might be confused, we are now going through the fifth book. With changes that become bigger and bigger...

* * *

><p>VI: Brimming Premonition<p>

"Judai...hey, Judai, wake up."

He was turned over like pancakes, groaning at the angry glare of light on his face. Judai shoved the offended hands and turned his head back to eat pillow.

"Ugh, you're so difficult to wake up."

Judai didn't reply, though he felt twinge of anger well up for the rude wake-up call.

"Come on, they're waiting for us for breakfast," Yugi said, jerking Judai. "Juuuudai! Judai – Judai – Judai – Judai – Judaaaiiiii – Ju-"

His semi-consciousness made a simple difference between friend and foe. Those who were out of Judai's sleeping business, friend, but those trying to wake him up, foe. What do they get? A violent leg whip.

"Yugi, is everything okay?" came Lupin's voice from behind the door.

Judai took satisfaction in hearing Yugi hiss painfully. "Just – Judai – kicking me – again!"

The breakfast table afterward had a pretty negative atmosphere. Judai had not spoken a word since he joined the meal, putting spoonfuls of food in his mouth every five seconds. Yugi was quite peeved at Judai's attitude for not even apologizing and refused to look at him either, even though they sat were right beside each other. The others – members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's secret organization – were drinking hot coffee, occupied in reading the Daily Prophet, and weren't too bothered seeing the usually chatty teenagers with crashing brows this morning. Mr. Weasley had just come over, talking to Tonks about his kids coming tonight.

"So," Judai grumbled, "where's he?"

Yugi made a palpable pause, his spoon suspended in mid-air. Seconds later, he had resumed eating busily.

Judai glared at Yugi. "Che, what the heck was that for?"

"Hmph!" Yugi pointedly turned his head away.

"C'mon, you're still at it?" Yugi took a huge bite of bread. Judai, not liking the attitude either, went back to his plate, muttering, "wimpy King of Games..."

"You're the one who's always whining!" Yugi cried out, offended. "Geez!"

Yugi didn't seem to have struck a real effect on Judai or anyone else on the table. Only the rustling of the utensils and the hissing of sunny side-up egg being cooked answered.

After a while, Yugi finally spoke to Judai as a sign that he'd at least forgiven him for now. Yugi was easily defeated in this kind of game. He lowered his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Mm."

Yugi tried to bend lower to see Judai's face. "You don't look well."

"I'm good."

"Well, if you say so..."

Right after breakfast, they joined Mrs. Weasley to shoo a small fairy community that had taken refuge near the glossy trophies. Normally having fairies over appeared to be a one-of-a-kind event except they, along with tiny creatures that had bred in hordes and swarms around the house, were considered to be pests. This fairy community in particular enjoyed taking anything that could be used as a mirror. Yugi discovered them after one attempted to steal his Sennen Puzzle.

Judai stomped his foot, making loud noises to frighten the fairies. He could feel Yugi's concerned gaze on him though Judai pretended not to see. If Judai weren't feeling so lethargic, he would've felt guilty for making Yugi worried—and also for kicking him this morning (again). At least Yubel knew one word from her right now was going to send Judai into fits.

"Did you two have a fight?" he heard Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Not really," Yugi said quietly, crestfallen. Judai pretended not to hear but he had stomped too loudly to be inconspicuous. None of them spoke afterward.

Since the Leaving Feast, they've stayed in Sirius Black's home, the House of Black, which also served as the headquarters for the Order of The Phoenix. It hadn't been used for fifteen years though so they had to clean the place up. The mansion was big but the rooms were unusable at the moment because of old, broken charms that would need mending and removing and magical creatures that had populated every corner.

At first it had been a joy ride going around the mansion and there was this portrait, Sirius' mother, that went berserk when they made a loud noise. Her curtains would unfold, her furious face spouting insults about blood purity and house defilement. After weeks of going through the old routine, it had gone tiring and every morning was just giving Judai a terrible headache.

Sirius nudged Yugi. "Not full of beans lately, is he?"

"W-what?"

"Energetic. He's not very energetic lately. Had a clash?"

Judai sneezed, sending doxies from the curtains flying. They had been spraying Doxycide on the draperies on the second floor, stunning the fairy-like pests momentarily, and removing them. Doxy usually greeted intruders with a less-than-friendly bite.

He heard Yugi sighed. They've been raising the same question since their no-talking rule had persisted after lunch.

"No, it isn't anything like that," Yugi said. "He's just being a stupid Kuriboh-head asshole at the moment."

Judai dropped the canister, turning to Yugi, stiff as a statue.

"Sorry," Yugi said; Sirius was just as shocked at Yugi's language. "I had to take a leaf from Jounochi's book to get you out of the slump. Hehehe...was it really that shocking?"

It hadn't taken an apology from Judai to get them back on speaking terms as Yugi was quick to become friends with Judai again. They settled in the kitchen (which was empty at this time because the Order members were working) eating snacks Mrs. Weasley had prepared them.

"This is a lot of work for her," Yugi said, looking at the sweet potato pudding thoughtfully.

"We can ask that guy," Judai suggested.

"That guy? Who?"

"Y'know, same that brought you food in the clinic when you fainted. I didn't get his name though..."

"Oh, you mean the House Elf," Yugi said, "Kreacher."

"Yeah, that—AHH!"

Out of thin air, a sickly-looking elf appeared with dirty rags for clothes. His displeased, bloodshot eyes scanned the two before bowing so low that his pudgy nose touched the floor.

"Did the blood-traitor Master's friends call Kreacher? Kreacher would do as what the foul Master say to serve the Mudbloods that had defiled the most honorable and ancient House of Black, sullying the great house where the great, Pureblood, Mistress once lived. Kreacher would follow what Master's friends say but Kreacher would also like to have your carcass served for the lovely Mistress..."

"Sorry about that, Kreacher," Yugi apologized, slightly disturbed by Kreacher's words. Although Sirius had assured them that Kreacher would be as "least pest-like as he could" Yugi had been a bit anxious sleeping in the house, knowing there's an elf who could appear into thin air and be done with him swiftly. "We were just talking about you. My bad."

Kreacher raised his head, shooting Yugi venomous glares. "Kreacher does not mind. Kreacher loves serving Master's friends. Master's peasant friends are very dim. Kreacher believe they have troll brains. Kreacher does not like having Mudblood talk to him. Kreacher does not like Kreacher's name spoken by Mudblood—"

"Hey, watch what you're saying!" Judai said angrily. "Yugi apologized! It's not like we ever called you if we needed anything! You don't even help around the house!"

"Kreacher's ears cannot take more words from Mudblood. Kreacher would like them to eat their own shoes..."

"Okay, thanks, bye, Kreacher," Yugi said serenely. He did find Kreacher offending but having Judai be mad for him was gratifying enough. He's just glad they sorted out their problem immediately and having Judai by his side was like having Jounochi again.

"I kind of feel bad for him," Judai said once Kreacher was gone. "I mean, he doesn't like it here, does he?"

Yugi was pleasantly surprised by Judai's sympathy. "I guess. But since he knows too much about the Order, Sirius can't just let him go...you're not looking well, you know."

"Yeah?" Judai said, trying to smile. "I guess I'm homesick. What'dya know."

Yugi felt the Sennen Puzzle around his neck. "Homesick huh..."

Judai looked away, knowing his excuse had made Yugi feel lonely. There was a slight ringing in his head; Yubel had finally showed up, perhaps waiting for Judai to say something. Howver, none of them exchanged any words or insults for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p>"Harry! HARRY!"<p>

The streets had gone dark. It was almost as if he had lost his sight. His clothes felt like they were made of thin linen because he was cold all over all of a sudden. He listened to any sounds, any movement, or even breathing...

Someone was calling his name.

"Who - ?"

"Yusei..."

It was gentle and warm, a familiar ring in the tune of the voice making him draw toward it. Yusei drew his arm, trying to reach it.

"Who are you?"

"Yusei..."

The smell of flowers. The glint of scarlet. The hazel eyes...

But when the voice called again, it was completely different. It was younger and full-spirited similar to what young Lua would call him.

"Yusei!" the shapeless voice of a boy cheered.

The salvation of the voices vanished and the pitch-black darkness and cold trapped his senses. Yusei first felt the stinging hot pain on his right arm. The Birthmark had returned again, flashing a dome of red barrier, and what his Birthmark was protecting him from made his blood run cold. A hollow, slimy face – what seemed to be made of a lump of black – was stretching its jaw and opening its mouth, coming down to swallow him. Yusei shouted in terror as the shield let out angry electricity from contact with the hooded creature.

"EXPACTO PATRONUM!"

A silver stag swooped between them. The creature backed away. Yusei realized that this creature was merely a floating, hooded robe with damp hands. The face Yusei had seen was hidden at the shadows of its hood, but he did not know how long he had been screaming. Even when it was gone, he was shaking uncontrollably.

"Yusei!" It wasn't the familiar voice or the boy he had heard. Someone was slapping him. "Yusei, snap out of it!"

"I'm here," Yusei managed to say aloud, but he couldn't stop his trembling. His Birthmark had vanished again. "Leave me. I-I can't stand."

"As if -" Harry grunted, pulling Yusei up with much effort. " - I will!" Harry almost stopped when he felt what Yusei meant.

"Sorry," Yusei said. "I'm...I'm trembling this much."

If Yusei could see Harry's face, he must be a bit unnerved but Harry must have shaken his head. "No. I'm scared of them too. Dementors. I fainted twice when they were coming to me." Harry pulled Yusei as they walked.

"The Professor's going to be upset when he hears this," Yusei muttered. His voice was so low Harry thought he was on his dying breath. "It's my responsibility. I'm sorry."

"What – what are you talking about?" Harry asked, his mind spinning. "By 'Professor', do you mean Dumbledore? What does he have to do - "

"Tell me what happened," Yusei said as he tried to get his footing back. "Quick. No – don't put the wand away – it doesn't matter now – just go straight to your house – I'll explain after – tell me, what happened?"

"What do you mean - ?"

"The light – there was something – I saw it – you – you're supposed to be dead."

"I know," Harry said anxiously, although 'dead' wasn't the word after a Dementor's Kiss. He could see his house now. "It came to me. Was about to give me a Kiss when...you wouldn't believe me -"

"Try me," Yusei panted, pulling his arm away and reclaiming his balance back to the ground. He almost crashed down if not for Harry.

"I thought it was a Patronus but it wasn't an animal or a magical creature. I'm sure what I saw – it was a boy and it even talked to me," Harry explained, grabbing Yusei again to support him. "Look, let's get you inside first. The house is just -"

"Do you know how to throw a punch?"

Harry was dazed. "What?"

"A punch, Harry."

"Yeah." Harry was starring at Yusei. "What about it?"

"Punch me." When Harry didn't answer, he repeated himself. "Punch me, Harry."

"Have you gone off your trolley?" Harry demanded incredulously.

"It's how we say hello back in my dimension. _Now punch me, Harry!"_

Harry, still feeling the adrenaline rush in his muscles, pulled back a fist and punched Yusei right at the face. He didn't feel his knuckles throbbing until Yusei chuckled.

"I guess it was funny enough," he mumbled, his feet wobbly. His cheek was reddish but Yusei didn't look like it was affecting him at all. "Go. Get inside."

They entered the Dursley household and boarded themselves in as packs of owls came flying in. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were maddened by the visitor Harry brought and the trouble along with it.

"Get out of my house!" Uncle Vernon roared, his face purple. "Bringing your _lot_, boy, you wait—"

Harry took out his wand. "Don't. I'm not in the mood."

"You think I don't know? You can't use that – that – _thing_ outside your _school_!"

"If you haven't noticed, something's going on around now," Harry said contemptuously. He didn't have a lot of opportunities to get back on his uncle. He couldn't help but take advantage of the situation right now.

"PUT THAT THING DOWN—"

"Make me," Harry challenged. "C'mon or are you all talk like Dudley-kins here?"

Uncle Vernon was about to strangle Harry with his fatty hands and Harry had come up with a hex worth fifteen years of mutual dislike when Yusei spoke.

"Sorry, but could you two keep it down?" he said, stalking out from the window like he was expecting to be attacked any minute.

"Keep it down –"

But Uncle Vernon never finished. There were three, simultaneous _pop _inside the room. Aunt Petunia screamed hysterically, pulling Dudley and veining him with her bony arms. Three robed wizards appeared; one of them was a toad-like woman with a frilly, pink outfit.

It was Mad-Eye Moody all over again except Harry had no defense to make over the new guests. Yusei shoved him to the wall and stood guard in front of Harry.

"You've received the notification from the Ministry?" the toad-like witch asked with her matching high-pitched voice.

"Who are you?"

"We are from the Ministry of Magic," the witch answered sweetly, but she wasn't fooling anyone. It was obvious by the flash of death glare that she did not like Yusei one bit.

"We need to speak with Harry Potter," came the deep voice of one of the wizards. This man was bald and dark, and had broad shoulders.

Yusei showed them one of the Ministry letter, which Harry recognized as the letter saying the decision to break his wand was amended.

"You'll be talking to him on the hearing on the twelfth of August. You're a bit too early. It's just the end of July."

"Yes," the toad witch said, batting her eyelashes. "But – ahem – perhaps I should have introduced myself—"

"Could you stop that?"

All the pink in the witch seemed to pale angrily. "W-what?"

"Your voice. It's annoying." Yusei considered his words and added, "No offense..."

Another owl came fluttering right inside. Uncle Vernon let out an outburst everyone ignored. The owl didn't go for Yusei or Harry though, but for the witch, who unfolded it with quivering fingers. Harry doubted it was because of something from Dementors. She was probably boiling in her pink fury right now.

After reading through the letter, her lips have thinned. "The Minister have requested my immediate presence," she said snappishly, disregarding her pretentious image. "Kingsley, Dawlish, let's go."

The three of them raised their wands and Disapparated.

"Pack your things," Yusei said, not wasting a breath. He was the only one registering the quick-paced events well.

"W-why?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"They should be coming to pick you up."

"Who?" Harry frowned. Who exactly was this guy and how was he connected to Dumbledore?

"Your friends. Hurry."

Something about the ever-serious tone and face on Yusei said that Harry won't be getting any concrete answers out of him. When Harry left upstairs, skipping every other step, he realized Yusei and his not-so-loving family were left in one room. He was worried they would be extremely rude to him.

"Hey," he heard Yusei's monotonous voice ring from the living room. "Could you get me a glass of water?"

* * *

><p>"He <em>what?<em>"

Judai groggily opened his eyes.

"I guess he didn't know Dung," Lupin said wearily. "But Dung knew he'd take in a favor without question."

Yugi saw Judai rubbing his eyes. He had fallen asleep in the couch tonight. "Yusei's in trouble," Yugi said.

Remus did a double-take on Judai. "Are you feeling all right?"

Judai didn't remember nodding, but Remus had gone off with other Order members to pick Harry up. They were left with the Weasley twins, Ron, and Hermione.

"Lovely dream?" Fred (or George) grinned to Judai.

"Not sure," he said, "I forgot. Was definitely something though..."

Another silence followed. Only the fire in the fireplace cackled.

"Be right back," Hermione said anxiously, standing up.

"Where're you going?" Ron asked.

"I need to check on something," she said. "I'm worried about Harry..."

"We're going to get back to our rooms," one of the twins said. They waved their wands and disappeared.

"I'm going to get you some Butterbeer," Yugi said to his friend, standing up.

Judai and Ron were left in the room.

"Er," Ron said, trying to come up with an excuse to leave or maybe something to talk about. "So...do people in your dimension have tails or something?"

"Ron?"

"Yeah?" Ron said carefully.

Judai stifled a yawn, vaguely remembering tiny parts of his dream. "Wh-wh-wh-what'za Dementor?"

"They're the ones that guard Azkabanan, worst wizard prison there is," Ron said. "They take all the happiness from you and can suck your soul with a Dementor's Kiss."

"A Kiss?" Judai asked, disgusted.

"Yeah. Well, not really a kiss. It just looks like a kiss. See, they pull down their hood – and no one really knows what they look like since no one's ever lived to tell after a Dementor's Kiss." Ron scrutinized Judai's face. Why does everyone keep doing that lately? "You okay, mate?"

"Not lately," Judai finally confessed, his arms falling limply beside him. "Don't tell Yugi though. Just not feeling in top shape. Probably something in the house."

"You should tell someone," Ron said. "You've been living here, right? And it's not exactly habitable at the moment. Might've been some curse that had gotten you. I wouldn't put it past the Blacks. They're blood-purity fanatics and all of them are under You-Know-Who, except Sirius of course."

"Not sure if all this blood applies to us," Judai said, scratching his tousled hair. "We're magical in a different sense." He made a face. "And saying we're magical is _really_ weird."

"But you said things like this happen before!" Ron said. "Like this dimension-hopping. You've done it before."

"Sure have," he said, stretching. "But it's kind of normal for me now. Heh, I've always been focused on dueling my whole life. Things like Card Spirits, monsters being real, other dimensions – you kinda just accept them along the way."

"Let me get this straight," Ron said. "You think magic is weird but you think all the seeing spirits and dimension-hopping part back in your world is completely normal."

"That's about it."

Ron gawked at Judai in awe. "Blimey, you guys are weird. With that kind of ignorant attitude toward magic, I'd say you two are as good as Muggles."

"I guess it's kinda real for us duelists since the start," Judai said, chuckling. He went for his deck and drew a card. He showed to Ron his Winged Kuriboh card. "Here, this guy– his name's Winged Kuriboh – is actually a gift from Yugi, but I didn't want to tell him yet. Y'know, in case he changes his mind and not give it to me in the future."

"What about this card?" Ron asked, inspecting it. "I can't understand the characters here."

"Really?" Judai asked, surprised. Ron nodded. "Everything in this world's plain English to me. Anyway, I don't think you can see him but he's actually resting on top of your head right now."

Ron gave him a look that definitely was thinking he was off his rockers.

Judai laughed. "You guys are all wizards and stuffs and you don't believe there's a Card Spirit on your head?"

Ron hesitated. "It's kind of hard to, but I do believe you." Ron lowered his voice, eying at the doors as if he was afraid they'd be overheard. "But seeing _and_ hearing something others can't aren't normal, even in wizard standards."

They heard the door swing open. "Here you go, Judai," Yugi said, carrying with him two mugs on both hands. "Here's one for you, Ron."

"Thanks!" Ron said, beaming and gladly gulping on the drink. "So you've got wands now?"

"Not yet. Professor Dumbledore wanted us to lay low for a while," Yugi said.

"But we've made some practice," Judai said, sipping on his drink.

"Practice? How?" Ron asked, frowning.

"Mostly Judai's been doing it," Yugi said sheepishly. "But I wouldn't call _BOOM_ practice yet."

"You've been messing with your own magic?" Ron asked, baffled. "_Wandless?_"

"Isn't it normal? Your brothers have been making noises in their room," Judai said, blinking.

"Ugh, Judai, like I said, _BOOM_ is not normal. That's kind of a sign of a failed attempt."

But Ron was eying at the two with eerie discretion.

"Are you – honestly – telling the truth?" Ron said slowly.

"'Course we are," Judai said, sensing something was wrong.

Ron was silent.

"Is that – er- wrong?" Yugi asked apprehensively.

Ron shook his head gravely. "Not normal. Definitely not normal."

They hang onto his words with dread twisting at the pit of their stomachs. Even in the world where magic and magical beasts were normal, their circumstances were still considered out of this world. Well, considering they were technically from out of this word, it was – Yugi supposed – something they should have anticipated.

What would the magical community do once they find out everything?


	7. A Dark Secret

**Author's Notes (added): **Filler arcs in the YGO: DM never happened. This basically means that only Yu-Gi-Oh had a different timeline. As Judai said earlier, he and Yusei were all finished with their stuffs. Post-story already, but YGO is right after BATTLE CITY.

**revised:** Added a last-minute part I wrote which was supposed to be the start of the next chapter rofl. But it's a better cliffhanger haha.

* * *

><p>VII: A Dark Secret<p>

Ron swore not to tell what Yugi and Judai had told him, although he made them swear not to tell others what he just heard first.

"It won't turn out well," he said firmly.

"You're taking it pretty well," Judai pointed out.

"Been Harry Potter's best mate for four years," Ron said. "Weird things every year."

"Dumbledore didn't act like it was out of this world," Yugi said. "He was even explaining it in magical terms. We thought it was normal."

"Dumbledore's a weird bloke," Ron said, as if it answered everything. "But if you've told him as much as the things you've told me, then I think it's not that bad. No offense but this honestly sounds like dark magic of some sort, but Dumbledore would never have anything to do with that. He'd never agree to let you in if that were the case."

Both Yugi and Judai stiffened.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked, looking at their expressions.

It was a perfect synchronizing reaction that it furthered the wizard's doubt as the two simultaneously guffawed.

"Oh nothing," Yugi said, laughing. "Nothing with dark magic!"

"That's right!" Judai said, joining in the laughter. "Completely dark-free magic!"

"We don't even have dark magic back home!"

"Yeah, nothing with the shadows, betting your soul, eternal darkness...nope!"

"Hahahahahaha! Judai, you have such an imaginative mind!"

"Why thank you, Yugi! If it would digress this conversation further, might I add that I'm very good at drawing too?"

"Good one, Judai!"

"Haha, actually, I was serious on that one. 'Course, I'm not that professional with it compared to dueling!"

"Haha, really? I feel like I'm totally outclassed now!"

Ron was gaping at them whilst they flash twin, enormous grins. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you two?" He shook his head just the same way he had earlier, muttering under his breath, "Mental. Completely mental."

Ron left to join Hermione, who, according to Ron, was probably buried under a book about some Ministry law about underage magic. This brought Yugi and Judai back to the present situation. With Ron gone, they were finally able to take without restraint.

"That was a close one," Yugi said. "I heard his brother worked in Egypt. I was worried he'd asked about the puzzle too..."

"He probably thought it was fashion in our world," Judai said. "It's a good thing we didn't start talking about Duel Monsters."

"Yeah. I can't imagine what would have happened if I said my favorite card's the Dark Magician," Yugi said. "Anyway, I'm more worried about Yusei. Unlike us, he doesn't have any sort of magic to get himself out of a nasty situation."

"Could you run that by me one more time? What's going on right now?"

"If you tell me what's been going on with you," Yugi said plainly.

"Oh." Judai scratched his head unconsciously, avoiding Yugi's eyes all together. He felt the King of Games glare like he'd done a felony. "It's nothing really. Yugi, I'm really sorry about kicking you in mornings and for not apologizing earlier," Judai said, "And for being a douche bag to you these days."

"You're only saying that to soften me up," Yugi said, attempting to put back an angry face. Though Judai had been caught, it had still obviously worked but Yugi didn't back down."Seriously, why can't you just tell me? It's not like this was back a few months ago where you only know me by name and I didn't know you at all. The three of us living together and you and me usually the one stuck at home doing the cleaning...sure Yusei is our bud, but we're right at the same school age. Not to mention both of us harbor some ancient spirit. I thought that maybe we were friends."

Judai groaned, slapping a hand on his face as he broke into a slouch. Yugi had used the inevitable line. It was like a Magic Card that was completely impossible to negate or counter because it was guilt empowering the words behind it.

Yugi tried not to smile. He knew he had won.

"Okay, maybe it's not nothing," Judai said, chafed. "Ever since we got here, I've become a really terrible morning person."

"Is it something about the manor?" Yugi asked worriedly.

"Maybe. That's what Ron said," Judai said. "At first I didn't know what it was exactly, but recently it had gotten worse. I know it has something to do with me dreaming. I haven't had a dreamless sleep this week. It's like I don't sleep at all!"

"Maybe it is some curse," Yugi said thoughtfully, "We had to stay at Hogwarts for a few weeks just so they can strip down curses around the house so we can stay here without any spontaneous combustion. We're not even halfway through the cleaning right now."

"School's not in another month," Judai said, sighing. "I can't believe that right now, in this moment of my life, I want to go to school more than ever."

"Aw, I thought going to an academia for dueling is really exciting."

"Fun to play, not fun to learn," Judai breathed in deeply and huffed, "So what was up while I was off dreaming?"

"Remus only mentioned it to me," Yugi said. "They said Dementors showed up to where Harry Potter lives."

"Uh-huh." He must have grasped the word "Dementor" while asleep. "And then?"

"But Yusei was there too and we all know has no magic at all. Remus said he wasn't assigned on any guard duties. He worked on intelligence especially on Muggle ones. Yusei was around the vicinity at that time and I supposed he wanted to greet Harry. But the the guy who was supposed to watch Harry saw Yusei and dumped him the job instead."

"So now he's in trouble?"

"You remember Ron mentioning what Hermione's doing right now? Since Yusei can't do magic, it was Harry who did and if you're below seventeen, you can't use magic outside of school. Harry's in bigger trouble right now and Yusei being there didn't help. Not that he's to blame, but they don't want Yusei to be seen."

"By Voldemort?" Judai asked, frowning.

"Yeah, but I wasn't talking about him," Yugi said. "Yusei's in loads of trouble with him but added with the two of us, the magical government's not very happy."

"Oh."

Judai knew what Yugi was talking about. Now that they've discovered through Ron that not even the whole magical community would be pleased, it was kind of a despairing situation...almost as if they were thrown in a universe just to be disliked. After the Leaving Feast a few months ago, the legal matters Dumbledore had talked about involved talking with the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. They thought that he and Dumbledore were in pretty good terms until he had called the old wizard senile.

The good news was the minister didn't want to get pestered about identification and citizenship issues. He didn't seem to think they were any threat or harm at all or was just stupid to let anything slide. They were granted freedom in a fairly short amount of time, the only evidence being given was Dark Magician, who popped in right at the last minute. The mage was a little affronted for being classed as a magical being (Yugi being the first to take it as an insult) but it was ultimately what did the trick. It was probably what convinced Fudge that they were wizards after all since they made a fiasco about claiming to be magical yet not owning wands.

"If they find out that Yusei has something to do with Dumbledore, they might become suspicious," Juda finished.

"And if they discover our secret, it would be an irreversible situation," Yugi said, sighing. "Dark magic. The way everyone's reacting makes me feel guilty about my deck. I was looking forward to schooling because I thought it would be something like in Duel Monsters."

"We've been through the real thing," Judai said bracingly. "Think of it as...culture difference!" Yugi laughed.

Later that night, amidst a hearty discussion about Fusion Monsters, ("Why do you have Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast in your deck when it's pretty impossible to chain it with your other cards?" Judai had asked. Although Judai wasn't into strategy discussion often times, he was participative when it came to his fusion forte. Yugi excitedly answered, "Oh but they're amazing cards. I had to put them in...") Mrs. Weasley came by rather disheveled.

"Yugi, Judai, Harry and the others just arrived," she said, "Yusei would like to ask if he could stay in your room. We can't have Harry on the same room with my sons. Bill's already with them and Charlie's coming tonight..."

"No, it's okay, Mrs. Weasley," Yugi said, standing up as Judai collected back their cards. "Where is he?"

"Right at the front door. Oh, I hope he doesn't make too much noise..."

The three of them filed out the room and crossed the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley leading the way with a Lumos on her wand. Save for the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms, the use of luminaire was kept to bear minimum. They crept quietly pass the portraits and saw dark, shifting figures ahead.

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said in a whisper, raising her arm that the light showed Harry's flushed face. "Keep your voice down."

"I know," Harry sighed, annoyed. "I haven't said a word and everyone's been telling me to keep quiet. Where are we and why can't we turn on the lights?"

"Ron and the others will explain," she said distractedly, turning to Lupin. "All here?"

"No," Lupin said, his face shadowed. Behind him, several other figures were moving about, shivering, while the brooms on their hands left trails of water droplets. "Dumbledore didn't make it in time. The Ministry showed up in the Muggle's house before he could have them amend the decision. Yusei's been seen."

"Where is he now?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"He'll be right here," Lupin said, "He's old enough, Molly."

"Only by age. What are you still doing here?" Mrs. Weasley said sharply to Yugi and the others. "Up! Get upstairs! Harry, this is Yugi and and Judai. They'll show you to your room."

The adults began to disperse. Harry followed the two dark figures upstairs, dragging his trunk, none of them talking until they reached the room. Harry tried not to think of the awkwardness of the situation. He was hoping he'd meet Ron and Hermione, his best friends, to talk about what had transpired in Privet Drive as well as to finally discuss the lack of information this summer. They were so much to discuss and clear about, so many things Harry wanted to spit in their faces, but instead, like some divine punishment, he ended up with Yusei's lot. It wasn't as if Harry thought badly of them; it was the other way around. Having been the one to have involved Yusei since the incident in the graveyard with Voldemort, he owed him just as much once more. He knew that under the pretense of staying quiet, they were being polite, waiting for him to explain what happened tonight – to their friend – than bombard him with questions. Harry didn't like the idea of relieving tonight's events first to strangers.

Harry set his trunk aside, waiting near the door like an unwelcome guest. He couldn't see what they were doing blindly rummaging through the darkness.

"Found it yet?"

"No. Yusei was the last one to use it."

"Hold on."

"You got it?"

"No. I'm trying to remember what the spell was."

Harry stayed silent. Did he mean lighting up the tip of his wand, the spell incantation Lumos? But what were they looking for?

"Just look for the matches."

"I got it!"

"Great. Here, I got the cand—"

"_Incendio!"_

BOOM.

Harry was instantly blinded by a bright blaze of fire. He was only mildly aware that the sleeve of his oversized jacket was torched, under the heat wave that stormed excitedly to the door, which had been incidentally left open for the gas to escape. Through the flash of orange, Harry had seen that it was Judai who cast the spell; however, his lack of wand and position of the arm left Harry a lot of questions.

"Judai!" Yugi shouted. "Oh no, Harry, you're on fire!"

It was when the pain had registered. Harry tore his jacket and threw it on the floor. He reached for the wand in his jeans and hesitated. He didn't want to have to explain using magic to turn out fire burning his jacket to the Ministry.

"What's the incantation for water?" came a deep voice from behind, startling Harry.

"Uh, Aguamenti," he answered. Harry moved aside as Yugi had inched closer; he was starring at the fire in deep thought, the dancing light creating enigmatic shadows on his sober expression. Harry had not realized he didn't have a wand either.

Yugi raised his hand and pointed it to the fire. "_Aguamenti,_" he said clearly. Harry's jaw dropped when water showered from the tip of his finger. The fire hissed angrily like snakes until the room was left in darkness again.

"Are you all right?" Yugi asked Harry.

"How did you do that?" Harry asked.. "You – you used magic without a wand."

Maybe because it was dark but Harry thought Yugi had transformed into something else. His mere presence and the chipper of his voice was a stark contrast to who Harry had just been with seconds ago.

"Sorry," Yugi said hastily to Harry, excusing himself, "Judai, are you okay?"

There was a cough. "Does Yusei have his cards with him?"

"All the time," Yugi said.

"Good. I don't think I'll live the guilt of hurting his cards," Judai wheezed. "Good news is I found the matches."

They finally got the room lighted up. Harry, having lived life as a Muggle, knew how the matches work but didn't quite understand why these two would have them in a house full of wizards. He got off-tracked when he saw what the room was.

It wasn't a well-decorated, furnished room. It was quite plain, but it was not ordinary either, not at the wizard standards Harry had expected. It was something he would probably see in Mr. Weasley's collection.

The first thing Harry noticed were the random garage junks around. They appeared to be piled up in one corner close to the door, but there were a good number that managed to find itself across the room. He saw a toolbox just close to the desk where Judai made a failed incantation and a couple of blueprints with torn edges. There was a rectangular, 4-inch thick metal on the desk that Harry had difficulty believing was probably a laptop.

On a corner adjacent to the window was a battered coffee table surrounded by tatami mats instead of chairs. A ladder right beside it led to the customized loft bed. There were two other beds, both of them highly customized low, square, platform ones, placed right next to each other on the other side of the room, positioned slightly diagonal against each other, a lamp separating the two.

"Hope you don't mind the mess," Judai said, jerking to the lines of shelves at the far edge where their clothes hung and boxes and drawers stowed at the bottom. Harry spotted the robes the three of them wore in the Leaving Feast.

"Wow," was all Harry could say.

"We've been living here for a few months and we didn't want to rely on Dumbledore," Yugi said, beaming at the fact Harry seemed to be impressed. "It was mostly Yusei's work but we did a pretty good job on making his ideas work."

"Electricity works here?" Harry wondered aloud, noticing the lamps.

"If there was electricity," Judai corrected. "Batteries seem to work fine."

"You could sleep here for tonight. You can use this one," Yugi pointed to a round, platform bed across the other two ones, "We're just using it as a sofa now. Just leave your stuffs. We'll leave the door unlocked."

"Thanks," Harry blurted out, a bit confused by the unexpected hospitality. By the way Yugi sounded it was as if they knew Harry didn't want to stay with them. The only question they've asked so far was how he was feeling after his jacket got on fire.

"Wake me up when it's time for dinner!" Judai said as he started untying his shoes and undressing, tossing his jacket aside.

"Judai, show some modesty," Yugi groaned.

"We're all guys! No need to be shy!"

"It's fine," Harry said, grinning. "Seriously, thanks a lot for this."

Yugi smiled. "You're welcome, Harry. After we're all settled down then maybe we could have some proper introductions."

"Yeah," he said. "Later then—"

"Harry!" Hermione burst from the door, throwing Harry a hug around the neck. "We were so worried! And oh, the letters! I'm sure you're mad. You must be! You have the right to—oh!" Hermione had realized she had barged in inappropriately.

Judai gave her a glance, nodding. "Hey," Judai said in return, pulling out his belt.

"Hello," Hermione squeaked, dangling feebly on Harry's neck; Harry was choking on her weight.

"Judai, man!" Yugi screamed, red in the face like Hermione. "Modesty, please!"

"What? We're all guys."

"SHE'S A GIRL!"

Judai paused, his hands at the button of his pants, looked up, and pondered. "Oooh," he said as full understanding came clearly to his oblivious face. "I'll turn around then."

Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley kids, who were bursting out in laughter, were pushed outside by the miraculous strength Yugi found from his embarrassment for his friend.

"Enough already!" Hermione said angrily. They gathered at the boy's room and Harry, Ron, and Ginny were laughing at Fred and George's exaggerated re-enactment of Hermione slipping off Harry's neck. "Harry deserves to know about the truth!"

"All right, all right," Ron said breathlessly, wiping a tear from his eye. "Let's talk about Harry's problem now."

"Yeah," Harry said. Everyone's smiles disappeared. He felt really despicable right now; they were all thinking that he must be upset and angry. He couldn't deny not feeling resentful but it's not as if he could get upset again after a good laugh. "It's not about the Order," Harry said to them, "or Voldemort. I have a feeling I'll get my answers soon but what are _they_ doing here?"

"Those three blokes?" Fred asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "How is it they can do wandless magic?"

Their immediate reaction was one Harry had not expected. It was only Ron whose eyebrows didn't shoot up and shouted, "_Wandless magic_?"

* * *

><p>"How did you do it?"<p>

Yugi looked up from his puzzle. Judai was starring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.

"It wasn't even you-you," Judai continued, turning sideways to Yugi's bed. "It was Yami who did it, right?"

"Oh," Yami said, having just taken over. "Magic is rather natural for me."

"What did you do?" Judai inquired. "Even Yugi can't do it."

"I thought that perhaps magic is energy that has to redirected," Yami explained as he began to play solitaire on the bed. "Just as wands do. I did believe we were doing the right thing sending magic out of our hands. It's what I do," Yami said, briefly pausing.

Judai knew that the King of Games had issues in the past with regards to the power of the Sennen Puzzle. That was just based from their conversation with Dumbledore in Hagrid's hut months ago. There was no clear indication from Yugi that he planned on telling them the exact details either. Few months later, it was still true, but it wasn't just Yugi. They were all equally guilty of holding back pivotal events in their pasts, particularly Judai himself.

Judai remained quiet, respecting Yami's decision to continue or not. Yami...the name itself was a translation of "dark." Was this magic loop they got themselves into a bitter reminder for him? Whatever his past was and his insecurities, was magic like salt on old wounds? Judai highly doubted Yami had believed Judai's jab about "cultural difference."

"As you would know," Yami continued, a small smile on his face, "that trick doesn't work. By imitating the wand, I used my finger as the instrument."

"So that's it then?" Judai said. "We use the finger instead?"

Yami had set the Dark Magician as the king, finishing his game. He shook his head. "Perhaps it's best to stop experimentation."

"But you got the spell right," the teenager pointed out, bemused. He sat up the bed and crossed his legs in an Indian seat.

"I did," Yami said enigmatically, setting his hand on his deck. "But Yugi and I have a reason to believe it may not have been through the right means."

"What are you talking-" Judai gasped. He thought that Yami was simply tapping his finger, but his finger had gotten a shade darker like blood had refused to flow in it. It was the same finger he had used as a wand.


	8. AN: this draft has met its end!

Abandonment

Remember when I said this was just a draft and I was having such a blast working on this fanfic?

Well they're true. I 100% didn't care about grammar, about reviews, about the freaking plot. The thing is it's still FUN to write it but it's such a BORE reading through the recent chapters. I'm sure you felt it too and that's exactly why I had this put up in the first place.

I learned a lot by writing this. I know it's REALLY early for me to abandon it...just as early as I update lol. But 30k words in less than a month...learning experience. This had made it to my top 3 word count. It's just 20k short from my biggest one, which had a span of 2 years XD

I don't like breaking the rules so I'm against all this A/N chapters but I feel it's time to get the end of the purpose of this fanfic. I'm against review begging because I know one chapter's not good enough to justify the whole story. I do believe it's a matter of delivery from the whole story. But I want to hear your comments thus far, especially in the recent chapters as I KNOW there is ALWAYS a reason why people review and why they don't.

GOOD NEWS is I'm actually not abandoning this fanfic! Once I seat down, write on a paper (which is right after I post this up!), I'll get the chapters fixed up. By fixed up, I mean rewritten xD I'll probably only fix grammatical errors in Chapters 1-3. I'll add a bit more in Chapter 3. Frankly I've become lazy in going into details so I'll prolly get into details xD

Well after so much rumbling you could have skipped, you can just read through the list to what this chapter is all about!

1. **Comments**! Bash the fanfic all you want! Tell me what's bad, what's good. Don't care if you thought it was bad or it good, and now it's bad or it's good. If you're feeling lengthy, feel free to send me a message. 

2. This fanfic is a draft. It shall be rewritten/fixed and done in a meticulous manner as I had in the first chapters (I've declined intentionally haha XD)

3. Turn on your author **alerts**! Or just stalk the Harry Potter crossover.

**4. WATCH YU-GI-OH 5D'S WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOORRRRRR**

My main reason why I'm abandoning this right now is I realized where I've erred by watching the recent episode of TWGOK XD now I know I can set the story right!

**edit:** I've added the original chapter 7. Both the two chapter 7 are true. Meaning that they're supposed to be overlapping details. Minor details such as Harry's attitude is the only main difference really.


	9. ORIGINAL Chp7: What Keeps Us Together

**Author's Notes:** No, it's not an update. This is the ORIGINAL chapter 7. Before I thought chapter 6 needed some explaining and I had to lessen the drama.

* * *

><p>VII: What Keeps Us Together<p>

That night Harry had arrived at the Black Manor aka the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Ron swore not to tell what he'd heard although he had Yugi and Judai swear not to tell others what they've told him first. Yugi assured Ron that at least Dumbledore knew their circumstances, which made him breathe a little. Ron had joined where his friends were as Order members piled up inside.

"Where's Yusei?" Yugi asked one of the Orders passing by. It happened to be Tonks.

"Stayed behind. He said there's something he needed to do. He'll be back," Tonks said, waving a hand. "We've got an Order meeting tonight so I'm sure he'll—"

"Tonks!" Mrs. Weasley admonished.

"Oh, right, sorry, it's _top secret_," she said, winking before leaving.

"Yugi, Judai, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, "I know this is your house now but could you two head upstairs for now?"

The two nodded. They crossed the dingy landing and headed to their room. Judai had promptly fallen down to his bed though he had not fallen asleep just as fast.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Yugi said, playing with his Puzzle. "Aren't you a bit worried?"

"Who? Yusei?" Judai asked, curling into the bed that Yugi couldn't see Judai's face. "I think he can take care of himself."

"Well, I'm worried about him too, but I'm more worried about what Ron said," Yugi said.

"Was that Yusei?" Judai asked, raising his head.

"I think so...let's go see."

They hurried downstairs and only managed to get halfway down when they saw Mrs. Weasley having a row with Yusei. Harry and the other Hogwarts students have gone down to see what was going on too.

"Mrs. Weasley," Yusei said calmly"We have discussed this earlier. A word with my friends and—"

"I know what was discussed in the meeting!" Mrs. Weasley said. "But Dumbledore didn't ask you to leave immediately. Attacked by Dementors—you looked like you've been tortured by the Cruciatus Curse! And what hit you in the face?"

"I've eaten one chocolate. Thank you for your concer—"

"Yusei Fudo, you act like you're not even of age, no better than my sons in Hogwarts!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted angrily. "Stop this foolishness at once please! You will join dinner with us and rest for tonight!"

"Molly is right," came Mr. Weasley's placating voice. "Yusei, there's no need to be rash—" He put a hand on his shoulder, but Yusei immediately flicked it away.

"I got it," he said when Mrs. Weasley was about to open her mouth. "I'll need some sleep. Good night."

Yusei headed upstairs, followed by Yugi and Judai who dared not to speak until they were out of earshot. They disappeared into their room, leaving Order members heaving a big sigh.

"You lot," Sirius called Harry, beckoning them with a hand. "Help us prepare dinner. A lot of guests tonight."

"Ginny, come here," Mrs. Weasley said tiredly. If not for the doleful expression on her mother's face right now, Ginny would've outright refused. She said goodbye to them and followed Mrs. Weasley into the kitchen.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry asked his grandfather as they dispersed to the kitchen. Ron and Hermione were at his side.

"Just being difficult, mostly to himself," Sirius said.

"Mrs. Weasley's right," Hermione said. "He doesn't look fine at all."

"Not when he almost got his soul taken," Sirius said grimly. "Judai's not real well either. I don't know what Dumbledore had in mind letting their lot get into our mix. How about you, Harry? Are you okay?"

"It was a close call," Harry said. "What's wrong with Judai?"

"You mean you never felt anything around him?" his godfather asked. Harry, along with the other two, shook his head. "Hmm, I guess you're too young to sense it. It is rather rude if we say it aloud, but we can feel something's not right about him. He's not a spy or anything - at least I hope not - but don't let this cloud your judgment, all right? Good. Whenever we're close to him, we feel a bit heavy like he's a walking Anti-Happiness Air Refresher. It's similar to when you were growing up magical. You let loose your emotions with some bit of magic so we know easily if you're about to explode in anger or cause accidental magic. So we thought it's perfectly natural for Judai, but it's getting worse these days."

"Don't you think," Ron began indecisively, "that things for us may not apply since they're from another world?"

"I've looked up in _The End of Endless Possibilities_ and _It's A Many World After All_ about alternate realities and parallel universes but both of the books said it's just a bunch of fiction and magical theory!" Hermione said. "They don't even look like aliens or something to prove that they came from outside the planet."

"Aliens?" Sirius asked. "That green thing with big black, hollow eyes?"

"They must have done something to convince Dumbledore," Harry said. "What did he tell the Order to convince them?"

"That he trusts them completely just like that slimey Snape," Sirius said bitterly. "He gave us his word and that's more than enough for most of us."

"Most of you?" Harry asked.

"Ironically it's Snape who can't swallow it easily. He hates Yusei as much too, judging by the nasty looks he'd send him."

"Well, I guess that settles that. If they're bad in Snape's eyes, I say they must be pretty reasonable," Ron said, grinning.

They set down the plates on the table, Fred and George setting the knives magically, causing Mrs. Weasley more ire. When they were gathered, crowding on a table that cannot accommodate them all comfortably, pulling additional chairs with magic, Harry recognized one of the Order members that just arrived.

"Aren't you that Auror that came to break my wand?" Harry asked.

The Auror smiled. "I am. We've never been formally introduced. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt."

"Harry Potter," he said, shaking his hand. "So you're one of Dumbledore's spy?"

"One of them," he said. "Tonks and Arthur among the others. We're trying to get more supporters from the Ministry, in secret of course. Dumbledore in particular wants Atlas in. Pretty thick young man but he has the right mindset – most of the time...His links all over the wizard world would be helpful too."

Mundungus Fletcher, nicknamed "Dung" came to Harry to apologize uneasily. It was the first time for them to meet so Harry was first unsure what he was talking about. It turned out that Dung was supposed to be the one watching Harry back in Privet Drive. Yusei, who was working on intelligence at that time, merely passed by to greet Harry, but Dung took it as an opportunity to sneak out of work and deal with a "good business he couldn't miss." He asked Yusei to fill his spot for a while.

"Knew 'e can't do magic, good as a Squib," he told Harry, bringing out a pipe from his pocket. Dung took a big whiff of it and blew out an immense, black smog. "Taking 'e's job seriously. Too seriously."

"Mundungus, I told you not to blow that pipe in front of the children, not especially right before dinner!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Oh, right, sorry 'bout that..."

Harry was rather perplexed. So Yusei can't do magic? That explained why he used his fists like any other Muggles would. But surely something about him was magical. That dragon in the graveyard a few months ago, the glowing mark he had on his arm, and the whole alternate universe thing...

Surprisingly they were joined by Yugi shortly while eating. There were lively conversations going around the table like how Hermione was discussing her SPEW with Lupin, Dung telling jokes and blokes he met in his business, and Tonks making ridiculous faces with her Metamorphmagus ability.

"Thank you for the meal," Yugi said.

"Shouldshn't you've be shaying shat after eating?" Ron asked, his mouth full of food.

"Where are Judai and Yusei?" Harry asked.

"Yusei wanted some time alone," Yugi said, thanking Mrs. Weasley for serving him sauteed chicken strips. "Judai's fast asleep. I'd wake him up but I didn't want to be kicked in the gut twice today. And Ron it's more polite for us to thank first than after."

Harry peered Yugi over his glasses, quietly eating and half-listening to Ron's story about another Lockheart he saw drinking tea in Madame Puddifoot's. He considered asking Yugi about some of the questions at the top of his head. The last he heard of those three where in the Leaving Feast when Dumbledore had announced that they were visitors from an alternate universe. Majority of the populace of Hogwarts took it as a joke, but from the conversations he had gotten since he came here Harry doubted Dumbledore had simply felt extra-eccentric during the feast.

All the worries with the upcoming war and Voldemort had taken Harry's attention away from the three of them. He barely knew them too so he had easily forgotten they even existed. Meeting Yusei in Privet Drive again and staying with them in the manor was like some sort of fate; Harry was quite convinced that they were somehow involved in all matters now.

"How was summer, Harry?"

Harry looked up and saw Sirius slicing his beef steak.

"Terrible," Harry said, trying to keep his voice neutral and face blank. He had been frustrated by the lack of news all summer. The useless owls Ron and Hermione kept sending were all the same; they both wrote to him how they couldn't write more in case letters were intercepted. Then there was also the fact he had been tailed without his knowledge...all on Dumbledore's orders.

Sirius must have been reading his mind because he knew exactly what was going on Harry's head. "Be patient, Harry," he said in a low voice. "You'll have your answers soon."

"Why can't you tell me now?" Harry asked, a little louder than he expected. Conversations had instantly died and Harry saw how alarmed everybody else was. He didn't care. "Yusei and I saw Voldemort's revival but you all let _him_ know about what's going on! He's even in the Order! Why can't I be in it?"

"Yusei is old enough," Sirius said. "And he has a reason to fight—I'm not saying you don't have," Sirius stressed when he saw Harry fighting back the need to shout. He waved to Yugi, who had abandoned eating all together, "But you know their situation. Yugi and Judai wanted to join the Order too but Dumbledore wouldn't let them in. It was only part of a compromise that Yusei was allowed to join."

"But they're outsiders!" Harry said. "They have nothing to do with—this—with Voldemort or the magical community! Why are they even here anyway? Why did Dumbledore take them in? Why didn't he just let them be? I mean, they're the ones who came into this world in the first place. Not everyone's going to take them in out of nowhere!"

"Harry!" Sirius said sharply. "Have you forgotten that Yusei saved your life?"

"Of course not, but what does that—"

"Then you owe him, Harry. You, of all people, shouldn't be suggesting on kicking them out," Sirius said.

"That's not what I meant!" Harry said angrily. They had already gone off-topic from Voldemort to these three.

"Yusei saved your life without question," Sirius said calmly. "Right now he's doing the same thing. Risking his life for strangers like us."

"That's just stupid," Harry grumbled.

Sirius smiled dryly. "A Gryffindor trait if you ask me. Having Cedric Diggory die was a drive for him until this day."

Harry was utterly confused. "But that's not his fault! _I_ was the one who told Cedric to hold the Cup together."

Sirius shrugged.

"Let's not forget that Voldemort had seen Yusei's face," Lupin said, appealing to reason. "Even if they are outsiders, there's no denying they're involved already."

"Okay, but I still deserve to know what Voldemort's up to," Harry said, annoyed that he had been squashed.

"You do," Sirius said. Mrs. Weasley gave him a meaningful glare that Sirius ignored. "But we were all specifically told not to tell you, Harry."

"By Dumbledore?" Harry asked, his voice strained.

"By Dumbledore," Sirius confirmed, nodding.

Harry had gone back to his plate to stare at it. It was Dumbledore again and Harry was right. It was him who was keeping him the dark as Ron and Hermione had said. He forbid them to tell Harry anything. Did he think Harry couldn't be trusted? That he was incapable? After he had prevented Voldemort from taking the Philosopher's Stone? After he had stopped Tom Riddle from killing Ginny? After he had saved his Godfather and revealed Wormtail's true colors? AFTER HE HAD FACED VOLDEMORT AND ESCAPED—

"Back in our world, there's a game called Duel Monsters."

Everyone in the table looked at Yugi. He picked his spoon and fork back and continued eating.

"It's where we, Duelists, learn one important thing we can never live without. It's something we all share and respect, something our cards have taught us," he said. "Faith. Trust. Our bonds with each other. We believe we are all connected and it is through that connection that keeps us together no matter what. At times of crisis we should remember each other. Don't let others break that bond.

"Sorry, but Dumbledore just reminds me of Yusei," Yugi said, chuckling. "Yusei was named after the Planetary Particle Project at his time because his dad wants Yusei to be bonds that keeps others moving. Dumbledore is kind of like that, isn't he? It's his bonds to us that makes us work together as a team. He can't be the one causing the discord. If anything it's Voldemort who's behind this and Dumbledore knows that. It's what Voldemort's probably best at...causing bonds to break, people doubting each other. That's what's happening, right? The Ministry's already broken ties with Dumbledore. And soon it would be the people. More than ever, Dumbledore needs us and I honestly think he needs you often, Harry."

"He's right, Harry," Hermione said before Harry could register what Yugi said. How could a powerful wizard that even Voldemort himself fears be needing an under-age Hogwarts student like Harry? "Dumbledore has his reasons. He _always_ have. He's facing a lot of things right now but he'd never forgotten about you. He wouldn't keep you in the dark without a reason."

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said softly. Harry saw there were glitter of tears in her eyes. Ron looked away. "It could just be a big misunderstanding." Mrs. Weasley's voice cracked.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said guiltily. He didn't want her to cry. "I'll wait. Maybe Dumbledore will show up!" he added in a false, cheery voice.

"Yeah," Fred said. "Maybe he'd Apparate into thin air all tanned up and invite us to a beach party."

"Everyone could use a vacation!" George added. They laughed lightly.

"Well, it's getting late!" Mrs. Weasley said cordially, wiping tears on her eyes. "Off to bed."

They shuffled to their feet as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, and Yugi leave. Order members have stuck around and Harry knew they had matters to be discussed. Most of them were probably not going to sleep tonight as they would.

"It's not your fault," Ron said to Harry once they had gone to their room. Hermione and Ginny were sleeping together in another. "She just remembered Percy."

"What about Percy?" Harry asked. Come to think of it Harry hadn't seen Percy at all.

"The prat got promoted," Fred said sadly. "Junior Assistant Secretary."

"He told us a week ago back in the Burrow. Was really ecstatic. Pretty good considering he just graduated Hogwarts two years ago," George said.

"Except Dad thinks it's a way for Fudge to spy on him," Fred said, "and to an extension, Dumbledore."

"They had a big row," Ron said. "Percy said horrible things like calling Dad an idiot that's why we don't have—that much gold, y'know—and he packed his things and left to live in London."

"Don't know who Mum is kidding calling that misunderstanding," Fred said darkly. "We've always thought Percy was ambitious but we didn't think he'd go this far..."

"He couldn't possibly be thinking of selling you out!" Harry said. "His own family!"

"Wouldn't put it past him," George said, jumping to his bed. "Well, g'nite Harry. Hope you see Dumbledore in your dreams. Maybe he's just waiting for you to sleep so he could talk to you."

"Good night," Harry said, smirking, as he placed his glasses on the table.

"Night mate," Ron said.

Harry was already thinking in the dark. It's not like he never thought Dumbledore didn't have his reason keeping him in the dark...but he supposed to had affected his judgment. With the lack of information and isolation in the summer he had thought he'd been cast aside. Harry knew he was connected to Voldemort...four times now he had defied him...he must be angry at Harry...but he didn't face Voldemort alone this time around...was Yusei in danger? Harry felt bad for what he said earlier, especially since Yugi was right there...Yugi vouched for Dumbledore, the way Harry should have...did Yugi knew Dumbledore more than the others? Dumbledore had always been a powerful figure for them—a leader—but they didn't know him really well...not on a personal level...

Harry slowly swam into his vague dreams. He didn't dream of Dumbledore but he dreamed he was back on Hogwarts, back at the maze where he and Cedric were about to take the Cup. They took the Cup and raised it proudly. Harry could see Ron and Hermione's faces from the stands, cheering wildly. Malfoy looked like he had been turned into a ferret again by the false Mad-Eye Moody. Harry basked in the pure glory. No more sneering or jeering behind his backs. He was a hero, along with Cedric. This was Hogwarts' victory.

But something cold just made him deaf to all sounds. Everyone had suddenly vanished. Cedric was still there, but he had turned chalk-white pale. A black cloak swooped right out of the Cup and grabbed Cedric with its slimy, bony hands. Harry tried to scream but it was as if he had been cast a Silencing Charm. Cedric fell limply on the ground, his eyes empty, his chest still rising and falling...neither dead nor alive...

The Dementor was going after Harry next. He strongly thought of his wand, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He needed to defend himself. Was Yusei going to save him again? No one was there. He couldn't be lucky forever. He was alone. Ron and Hermione were never there when he needed them. Dumbledore doesn't care. Sirius was stuck in the house because Wormtail had gotten away. They were unable to prove his innocence. The Weasleys had their own problems. Harry was just an extra baggage...he made Mrs. Weasley cry...

The Dementor was feeding on his insecurities quickly. Harry just wanted it to suck his soul and be done with it. He'd be just like Cedric, lying there like an empty shell.

"What spell was it again?" a boy asked.

Harry saw a boy roughly six or seven years old. He was bathed in light that distracted the Dementor for a moment.

"You..." Harry said, his eyes widening in recognition. "You're that kid who saved me back then."

"You'd have to tell me the incantation again!" the kid said. "It's soooo hard to remember them all like they're Greek or something.

"Latin," Harry pointed out.

"Latin," the kid amended.

He was seeing the boy clearer now. He had thick, chocolate brown hair that distinctly reminded Harry of a fluffy furball, and beneath his fringes were wide, dark brown eyes.

"So what is it?"

"Expacto Patronum," Harry answered.

"Ohhhh, now I remember!" he said, hitting his palm with the side of his fist. "All right, let's do this! Expacto Patronum!"

It wasn't anything like Harry expected. He didn't even use a wand in the first place. It was as if he commanded magic right out of his hand; light came out of it and a dragon of some sort came out. It was a pretty big Patronus considering the kid's height. It was even taller than Harry!

The Dementor didn't even get the chance to flee. It disintegrated right on the spot, leaving not a speck of particle behind.

"Gotcha!" the kid celebrated, jumping on his feet. "I'm pretty good, huh?"

"Who exactly are you?" Harry asked.

Harry didn't know if he got the answer or not, but the next thing he knew was waking up to the window-rattling noise downstairs. He reached for his glasses and saw Ron and the twins rising from the noise too.

"_Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers—"_

Ron groaned. "This early? Who was the bloody idiot that did it?"

"Who's screaming?" Harry asked. "What's going on?"

"C'mon," Ron said, putting on his slippers. "No point sleeping. She's going to wail until we stop her."

"Who?"

When they reached downstairs, a number have risen groggily from their bed too. Harry realized there was more than one voice shouting and it wasn't a person either. It was a portrait, the one with moth velvet curtains along where heads of House Elves were hung.

"Harry, look!" Hermione gasped, pointing.

Right where the portrait of the screeching woman was was an old man with long, silvery beard that reached his knees, spectacles with twinkling blue eyes behind, and maroon robes flowing to the floor.

"Good morning," Dumbledore greeted cheerfully to his students' shocked faces over the blaring yells. "Forgive my clumsiness. My body is not responding as well after two days without sleep."


End file.
